Section 11(f) of ITA

(f)      an allowance in respect of any premium or consideration in the nature of a premium paid by a taxpayer for

(i)      the right of use or occupation of land or buildings used or occupied for the production of income or from which income is derived; or

(ii)     the right of use of any plant or machinery used for the production of income or from which income is derived; or

(ii)bis the right of use of any motion picture film or any sound recording or advertising matter connected with such film, if such film, sound recording or advertising matter is used for the production of income or income is derived therefrom; or

(iii)    the right of use of any patent as defined in the Patents Act or any design as defined in the Designs Act or any trade mark as defined in the Trade Marks Act or any copyright as defined in the Copyright Act or of any other property which is of a similar nature, if such patent, design, trade mark, copyright or other property is used for the production of income or income is derived therefrom; or

(iv)    the imparting of or the undertaking to impart any knowledge directly or indirectly connected with the use of such film, sound recording, advertising matter, patent, design, trade mark, copyright or other property as aforesaid; or

(v)     the right of use of any pipeline, transmission line or cable or railway line contemplated in the definition of ‘affected asset’ in section 12D, other than an asset contemplated in paragraph (c) of that definition; or

[Subparagraph (v) added by section 14 of Act 17 of 2009 and substituted by section 25 of Act 23 of 2018 effective on 1 April 2019, applies in respect of assets brought into use on or after that date]

(vi)    the right of use of any line or cable used for the transmission of electronic communications contemplated in paragraph (c) of the definition of ‘affected asset’ in section 12D:

[Subparagraph (vi) added by section 25 of Act 23 of 2018 effective on 17 January 2019]

Provided that

(aa)   the allowance under sub-paragraph (i), (ii), (ii)bis, (iii) or (v) shall not exceed for any one year such portion of the amount of the premium or consideration so paid as is equal to the said amount divided by the number of years for which the taxpayer is entitled to the use or occupation, or one twenty-fifth of the said amount, whichever is the greater;

(bb)   if the taxpayer is entitled to such use or occupation for an indefinite period, or if, in the case of any such right of use or occupation granted under an agreement concluded on or after 1 July 1983, the taxpayer or the person by whom such right of use or occupation was granted holds a right or option to extend or renew the original period of such use or occupation, he shall be deemed, for the purposes of this paragraph, to be entitled to such use or occupation for the period of the probable duration of such use or occupation; and

[Item (bb) substituted by section 10 of Act 94 of 1983 and section 18 of Act 25 of 2015 effective on 8 January 2016]

(cc)   the allowance under sub-paragraph (iv) shall not exceed for any one year such portion (not being less than one twenty-fifth) of the amount of the premium or consideration so paid as may be determined having regard to the period during which the taxpayer will enjoy the right to use such film, sound recording, advertising matter, patent, design, trade mark, copyright or other property as aforesaid and any other circumstances which are relevant;

[Item (cc) amended by section 9 of Act 90 of 1962 and substituted by section 18 of Act 25 of 2015 effective on 8 January 2016]

(dd)   the provisions of this paragraph shall not apply in relation to any such premium or consideration paid by the taxpayer which does not for the purposes of this Act constitute income of the person to whom it is paid, unless such premium or consideration is paid in respect of a right of use of a line or cable-

(A)    used for the transmission of electronic communications; and

(B)     substantially the whole of which is located outside the territorial waters of the Republic,

where the term of the right of use is 10 years or more;

[Words following subparagraph (B) substituted by section 18 of Act 25 of 2015 and section 25 of Act 23 of 2018 effective on 1 April 2019]

[Item (dd) added by section 11 of Act 121 of 1984 and substituted by section 14 of Act 17 of 2009]


(ee)   the allowance under subparagraph (vi) shall not exceed for any one year such portion of the amount of the premium or consideration so paid as is equal to the said amount divided by the number of years for which the taxpayer is entitled to the use or occupation, or one tenth of the said amount, whichever is the greater;

[Paragraph (ee) added by section 25 of Act 23 of 2018 effective on 1 April 2019]