“There Are Going To Be Errors”: SA Chartered Accountant Warns SA To Check SARS Auto Assessments

• A tax expert warned South Africans that SARS auto assessments are riddled with errors during the 2026 filing season
• Medical aid contributions and retirement annuities are among the deductions being missed by the system
• South Africans shared their confusion and frustration online, with many admitting they had no idea how to check their assessments

A Chartered Accountant is urging South Africans not to accept their South Africa Revenue Service (SARS) auto assessments at face value this filing season, warning that the system is generating results with significant errors.

Davron Chanderdeo posted a warning on Facebook on 06 July 2026, alerting taxpayers to problems he had spotted during the current auto-assessment period, which runs from 1 July to 12 July 2026. According to Chanderdeo, medical aid contributions and retirement annuities are among the deductions the SARS system is failing to pick up.

He also flagged another issue: taxpayers who were non-provisional in previous years but chose to pay provisional tax in 2026 are reportedly being auto-assessed and receiving their entire provisional tax payment back as a refund, which is incorrect.

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"SARS auto assessments - I've picked up 6 errors so far, and it's just the start....There are going to be errors, there are going to be things missed out. Double check it, triple check it and make sure it's there.

Davron urged everyone to review their assessment carefully and not assume SARS has all the right information.

How are auto assessments compiled by SARS?

SARS has noted that auto assessments are compiled using data from employers, medical schemes, financial institutions and retirement fund administrators. If a taxpayer disagrees with their auto assessment, they can log a corrected return via SARS eFiling or the SARS MobiApp before the relevant deadline. Non-provisional taxpayers have until 23 October 2026, while provisional taxpayers have until 22 January 2027.

View the Facebook video below:

Mzansi reacts to the SARS warning

The post struck a nerve, with many South Africans admitting they felt completely lost when it comes to tax. This is what Mzansi had to say on Davron's page:

Riyaad Bull said:

"The fact that high schools don't teach on how to file a tax return is a problem. Not everyone will get to study finance."

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Da Messy asked:

"To those that have no clue how to check. What do they do? Not everyone understands how this all works."

Randall Lakay joked:

"That's why I'm only getting a 25cent."

Alecia Wildean Pietersen-hendricks suggested:

"They should allow a reject option on auto assessments, honestly."

Mmakgomo Kokowatumisho Maepa said:

"I don't remember SARS refunding; the only thing I'm paying. Jooo, ke utlwile shem [Oh, I'm tired, shame]."

Brandon Bibo Meyers asked:

"What happens if they auto assess you and they pay you the refund already? However, I wanted to claim additional expenses as I do every year. Can I still submit the changes, and if so, what happens to the refund they already paid me?"

More Briefly Stories on SARS

• A South African financial advisor's video explaining new SARS online travel declaration rules for people entering and leaving the country sparked confusion and debate, with many questioning the regulations and joking about the requirements.
• South Africans travelling into or out of the country must now complete a mandatory SARS online traveller declaration before departure, with the new digital customs process sparking widespread discussion and questions.
• A former SARS employee serving a 10-year prison sentence shared how corruption cost her career, home, pension and freedom, urging South Africans to learn from her mistakes and avoid making the same life-changing decisions.

Source: Briefly News