“We Cannot Trust”: Joburg Woman Complains About Service Delivery After SARS Collects R2 Trillion

• A Johannesburg TikToker broke down the news of SARS collecting a record R2 trillion in tax revenue, while communities are still waiting for basic services
• She used the example of a Johannesburg mayor who only fixed a pothole issue after Helen Zille stepped in
• South Africans agreed that the money being collected is not making its way back to the people who need it most

A Johannesburg TikToker known as @jaxxofalltrades_sa posted a video on 1 April 2026, breaking down what she called "good bad news" for South Africa. She spoke about SARS announcing it had collected a record R2 trillion in tax revenue for the 2025/26 financial year. She then immediately questioned where that money was actually going. She said:

"SARS as an institution is working. I love that. The bad news is we cannot trust the state to do its job."

R2 trillion collected,, but potholes swallow cars

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According to the SARS media release, Commissioner Edward Kieswetter confirmed that the record collection was the result of over 14,500 employees working across millions of transactions throughout the year. PAYE collections alone reached R767 billion.

The woman acknowledged the achievement but pointed to the disconnect between what is collected and what communities actually receive. She talked about a neighbourhood flooded by a massive pothole, saying residents had been complaining for three years with no response. She also touched on the temporary fuel levy reduction announced by the finance minister for April 2026, calling it a short-term fix for a much bigger problem.

Watch the TikTok clip below:

Mzansi discusses SARS trillions vs service delivery

South Africans were right there with TikToker @jaxxofalltrades_sa, stating:

@selu🎀 said:

"I just wonder how much of those taxes will actually work for the citizens?"

@khulasomtwana wrote:

"Just so y'all know, my neighbourhood hasn't had running water for NINE YEARS."

@E added:

"Right when it's my turn to be an adult, the world is falling apart 😭👍🏽"

@I'm not bob gray asked:

"How are they able to collect so much money when unemployment rates are this bad, and the economy is barely growing?"

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@babygirl💞 wrote:

"We don't have space in universities, we don't have enough medical facilities, soon they'll be saying prisons are congested."

@mmathuloramolefe questioned:

"How is SARS' system always online, but I can't get a booking at home affairs 😭😭😭"

@Errol Ratshibvumo added:

"We've been an emerging market ever since Mandela was president."

@✨Duduetsang✨ said:

"It's all the two pot collections 🫠🫠🫠 wuuu what a difficult?"

@Tebogo Thale asked:

"Where is all that revenue collected going? If I may ask 🤔"

More SARS and SA tax

• Briefly News recently reported on MaMkhize taking on SARS in court over a R40 million tax dispute.
• An Eastern Cape woman broke down in tears after opening her payslip and seeing what SARS had taken.
• South Africa's income tax brackets for 2026 have been updated, and Briefly News shared the recent changes.

Source: Briefly News