Section 7 (ITA) – When income is deemed to have accrued or to have been received

7.     When income is deemed to have accrued or to have been received

 

(1)     Income shall be deemed to have accrued to a person notwithstanding that such income has been invested, accumulated or otherwise capitalized by him or that such income has not been actually paid over to him but remains due and payable to him or has been credited in account or reinvested or accumulated or capitalized or otherwise dealt with in his name or on his behalf, and a complete statement of all such income shall be included by any person in the returns rendered by him under this Act.

 

(2)     Any income received by or accrued to any person married in or out of community of property (hereinafter referred to as the recipient) shall be deemed for the purposes of this Act to be income accrued to such person’s spouse (hereinafter referred to as the donor) if

 

(a)     such income was derived by the recipient in consequence of a donation, settlement or other disposition made by the donor on or after 20 March 1991 or of a transaction, operation or scheme entered into or carried out by the donor on or after that date, and the sole or main purpose of such donation, settlement or other disposition or of such transaction, operation or scheme was the reduction, postponement or avoidance of the donor’s liability for any tax, levy or duty which, but for such donation, settlement, other disposition, transaction, operation or scheme, would have become payable by the donor under this Act or any other Act administered by the Commissioner; or

 

(b)     income was received by or accrued to the recipient

 

(i)      from any trade carried on by the recipient in partnership or association with the donor or which is in any way connected with any trade carried on by the donor; or

 

(ii)     from the donor or any partnership of which the donor was at the time of such receipt or accrual a member or any private company of which the donor was at such time the sole or main holder of shares or one of the principal holders of of share,

 

and such income represents the whole or any portion of the total income so received by or accrued to the recipient which exceeds the amount of income to which the recipient would reasonably be entitled having regard to the nature of the relevant trade, the extent of the recipient’s participation therein, the services rendered by the recipient or any other relevant factor; or

 

(c)     ……….

 

(2A)  In the case of spouses who are married in community of property

 

(a)     any income (other than income derived from the letting of fixed property) which has been derived from the carrying on of any trade shall, if such trade is carried on

 

(i)      by only one of the spouses, be deemed to have accrued to that spouse; or

 

(ii)     jointly by both spouses, be deemed, subject to the provisions of subsection (2) (b), to have accrued to both spouses in the proportions determined by them in terms of the agreement that regulates their joint trade or, if there is no such agreement, in the proportion to which each spouse would reasonably be entitled having regard to the nature of the relevant trade, the extent of each spouse’s participation therein, the services rendered by each spouse or any other relevant factor; and

 

(b)     any income derived from the letting of fixed property and any income derived otherwise than from the carrying on of any trade shall be deemed to have accrued in equal shares to both spouses: Provided that any such income which does not fall into the joint estate of the spouses shall be deemed to be income accrued to the spouse who is entitled thereto.

 

(2B)   So much of any deduction or allowance which may be made under the provisions of this Act in the determination of the taxable income derived from any income referred to in subsections (2) and (2A) as relates to any portion of such income which is under the provisions of that subsection deemed to be income accrued to a spouse shall be deemed to be a deduction or allowance which may be made in the determination of the taxable income of such spouse.

 

(2C)   For the purposes of subsection (2A)

 

(a)     any benefit paid or payable to a spouse in his or her capacity as a member or past member of a pension fund, pension preservation fund, provident fund, provident preservation fund, benefit fund, retirement annuity fund or any other fund of a similar nature shall be deemed to be income derived by such spouse from a trade carried on by him or her;

 

(b)     any annuity amount (as defined in section 10A) paid or payable to a spouse shall be deemed to be income derived by such spouse from a trade carried on by him; and

 

(c)     where any spouse is the

 

(i)      registered holder of a 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

 

(ii)     author of a work on which copyright has been conferred in terms of the Copyright Act or the owner of such a copyright by reason of assignment, testamentary disposition or operation of law; or

 

(iii)    holder of any other property or right of a similar nature,

 

any income derived from the grant of the right of use of such patent, design, trade mark, copyright or other property or right shall be deemed to be income derived by such spouse from a trade carried on by him.

 

(3)     Income shall be deemed to have been received by the parent of any minor child or stepchild, if by reason of any donation, settlement or other disposition made by that parent of that child

 

(a)     it has been received by or has accrued to or in favour of that child or has been expended for the maintenance, education or benefit of that child; or

 

(b)     it has been accumulated for the benefit of that child.

 

(4)     Any income received by or accrued to or in favour of any minor child or stepchild of any person, by reason of any donation, settlement or other disposition made by any other person, shall be deemed to be the income of the parent of that child, if such parent or his or her spouse has made a donation, settlement or other disposition or given some other consideration in favour directly or indirectly of the said other person or his or her family.

 

(5)     If any person has made any donation, settlement or other disposition which is subject to a stipulation or condition, whether made or imposed by such person or anybody else, to the effect that the beneficiaries thereof or some of them shall not receive the income or some portion of the income thereunder until the happening of some event, whether fixed or contingent, so much of any income as would, but for such stipulation or condition, in consequence of the donation, settlement or other disposition be received by or accrue to or in favour of the beneficiaries, shall, until the happening of that event or the death of that person, whichever first takes place, be deemed to be the income of that person.

 

(6)     If any deed of donation, settlement or other disposition contains any stipulation that the right to receive any income thereby conferred may, under powers retained by the person by whom that right is conferred, be revoked or conferred upon another, so much of any income as in consequence of the donation, settlement or other disposition is received by or accrues to or in favour of the person on whom that right is conferred, shall be deemed to be the income of the person by whom it is conferred, so long as he retains those powers.

 

(7)     If by reason of any donation, settlement or other disposition made, whether before or after the commencement of this Act, by any person (hereinafter referred to as the donor)

 

(a)     the donor’s right to receive or have paid to him or for his benefit any amount by way of rent, dividend, foreign dividend, interest, royalty or similar income in respect of any movable or immovable property (including without limiting the foregoing any lease, company share, marketable security, deposit, loan, copyright, design or trade mark) or in respect of the use of, or the granting of permission to use, such property, is ceded or otherwise made over to any other person or to a third party for that other person’s benefit in such manner that the donor remains the owner of or retains an interest in the said property or if the said property or interest is transferred, delivered or made over to the said other person or to a third party for the said other person’s benefit, in such manner that the donor is or will at a fixed or determinable time be entitled to regain ownership of or the interest in the said property; or

 

(b)     the donor’s right to receive or have paid to him or for his benefit any income that is or may become due to him by any other person acting in a fiduciary capacity is ceded or otherwise made over to any other person or to a third party for that other person’s benefit in such manner that the donor is or will at a determinable time be entitled to regain the said right,

 

any such rent, dividend, foreign dividend, interest, royalty or income (including any amount which, but for this subsection, would have been exempt from tax in the hands of the said other person) as is received by or accrues to or for the benefit of the said other person on or after 1 July 1983 and which would otherwise, but for the said donation, settlement or other disposition, have been received by or have accrued to or for the benefit of the donor, shall be deemed to have been received by or to have accrued to the donor.

 

(8)

 

(a)     Whereby reason of or in consequence of any donation, settlement or other disposition (other than a donation, settlement or other disposition to an entity which is not a resident and which is similar to a public benefit organisation contemplated in section 30) made by any resident, any amount is received by or accrued to any person who is not a resident (other than a controlled foreign company in relation to such resident), which would have constituted income had that person been a resident, there shall be included in the income of that resident so much of that amount as is attributable to that donation, settlement or other disposition.

 

(aA)  In determining, for purposes of paragraph (a), whether an amount received by or that accrued to a person who is not a resident would have constituted income had that person been a resident, the provisions of section 10B(2)(a) must be disregarded in respect of a receipt or accrual consisting of or derived, directly or indirectly, from a foreign dividend-

 

(i)      paid or payable by a company if-

 

(aa)    more than 50 per cent of the total participation rights, as defined in section 9D(1), or of the voting rights in that company are directly or indirectly held or are exercisable, as the case may be, by that person whether alone or together with any one or more persons that are connected persons in relation to that person; and

 

(bb)   the resident who made the donation, settlement or other disposition or any person that is a connected person in relation to that resident is a connected person in relation to the person who is not a resident; and

 

(ii)     to the extent to which that foreign dividend is not derived from an amount that must be included in the income of or that must be attributed as a capital gain to-

 

(aa)   the resident who made that donation, settlement or other disposition; or

 

(bb)   a resident who is a connected person in relation to the resident referred to in item (aa).

[Paragraph (aA) inserted by section 8 of Act 23 of 2018 effective on 1 March 2019 and applies in respect of amounts received or accrued on or after that date]

 

(b)     So much of any expenditure, allowance or loss incurred by the person contemplated in paragraph (a) as does not exceed the amount included in the income of the resident in terms of that paragraph and which would be allowable as a deduction under this Act in the determination of the taxable income derived from that amount had that person been a resident, is deemed to be an expenditure, allowance or loss incurred by that resident for purposes of the determination of the taxable income of that resident from that amount.

 

(9)     Where any asset has been disposed of for a consideration which is less than the market value of such asset, the amount by which such market value exceeds such consideration shall for the purposes of this section be deemed to be a donation.

 

(10)   Any resident who, at any time during any year of assessment makes any donation, settlement or other disposition as contemplated in this section, shall disclose such fact to the Commissioner in writing when submitting his return of income for such year and at the same time furnish such information as may be required by the Commissioner for the purposes of this section.

 

(11)   Any amount received by or accrued to any person by way of deduction from the minimum individual reserve of any other person in terms of—

 

(a)     section 37D(1)(d)(iA) of the Pension Funds Act;

 

(aA)  section 37D(1)(d)(iB) of the Pension Funds Act; or

 

(b)     section 37D(1)(e) of the Pension Funds Act to the extent that the deduction is a result of a deduction contemplated in paragraph (a) or (aA),

 

shall be deemed, for the purposes of this Act, to be income accrued to that other person on the date of the deduction.

[Subsection (11) added by section 8(1) of Act 35 of 2007, substituted by section 8(b) of Act 60 of 2008 and by section 10 of Act 17 of 2009, amended by section 8(c) of Act 31 of 2013 and by section 4(1) of Act 43 of 2014 and substituted by section 3(1) of Act 42 of 2024 deemed to have come into operation on 1 September, 2024]

“Market value” definition of section 8B of ITA

‘market value’ in relation to an equity share means the price which could be obtained upon the sale of that equity share between a willing buyer and a willing seller dealing freely at arm’s length in an open market and without having regard to any restrictions imposed in respect of that equity share;

“Hybrid equity instrument” definition of section 8E of ITA

‘hybrid equity instrument’ means-

(a)     any share, other than an equity share, if-

(i)      the issuer of that share is obliged to redeem that share or to distribute an amount constituting a return of the issue price of that share (in whole or in part); or

[Sub­paragraph (i) substituted by section 8(1)(a) of Act 34 of 2019 deemed effective on 21 July, 2019 and applicable in respect of years of assessment ending on or after that date]

(ii)     the holder of that share may exercise an option in terms of which the issuer must redeem that share or distribute an amount constituting a return of the issue price of that share (in whole or in part),

[Sub­paragraph (ii) substituted by section 8(1)(a) of Act 34 of 2019 deemed effective on 21 July, 2019 and applicable in respect of years of assessment ending on or after that date]

within a period of three years from the date of issue of that share;

(b)     any share, other than a share contemplated in paragraph (a), if-

(i)

(aa)   the issuer of that share is obliged to redeem that share or to distribute an amount constituting a return of the issue price of that share (in whole or in part) within a period of three years from the date of issue of that share;

[Item (aa) substituted by section 8(1)(b) of Act 34 of 2019 deemed effective on 21 July, 2019 and applicable in respect of years of assessment ending on or after that date]

(bb)   the holder of that share may exercise an option in terms of which the issuer must redeem that share or distribute an amount constituting a return of the issue price of that share (in whole or in part) within a period of three years from the date of issue of that share; or

[Item (bb) substituted by section 8(1)(b) of Act 34 of 2019 deemed effective on 21 July, 2019 and applicable in respect of years of assessment ending on or after that date]

(cc)    at any time on the date of issue of that share, the existence of the company issuing that share-

(A)    is to be terminated within a period of three years; or

(B)    is likely to be terminated within a period of three years upon a reasonable consideration of all the facts at that time; and

(ii)

(aa)   that share does not rank pari passu as regards its participation in dividends or foreign dividends with all other equity shares in the capital of the relevant company or, where the equity shares in such company are divided into two or more classes, with the shares of at least one of such classes; or

[Item (aa) substituted by section 12 of Act 23 of 2018 effective on 17 January 2019]

(bb)   any dividend or foreign dividend payable on such share is to be calculated directly or indirectly with reference to any specified rate of interest or the time value of money;

[Item (bb) amended by section 14 of Act 15 of 2016 effective on 1 January 2017, applies in respect of years of assessment ending on or after that date]

(c)     any preference share if that share is-

(i)      secured by a financial instrument; or

(ii)     subject to an arrangement in terms of which a financial instrument may not be disposed of,

unless that share was issued for a qualifying purpose;

(d)     any equity instrument the value of which is determined directly or indirectly with reference to-

(i)      a share contemplated in paragraph (a) or (b) or a preference share contemplated in paragraph (c); or

(ii)     an amount derived from a share or preference share contemplated in subparagraph (i); or

[Paragraph (d) added by section 14 of Act 15 of 2016 effective on 1 January 2017, applies in respect of years of assessment ending on or after that date]

(e)     any equity instrument, other than an equity instrument contemplated in paragraph (d), if that equity instrument is subject to a right or arrangement that would have constituted a right or arrangement contemplated in paragraph (a), (b) or (c) had that right or arrangement applied in respect of the share with reference to which the value of that equity instrument is directly or indirectly determined;

[Paragraph (e) added by section 14(1)(d) of Act 15 of 2016 and substituted by section 8(1)(c) of Act 34 of 2019 and by section 7 of Act 20 of 2021]

“Financial instrument” definition of section 8E of ITA

‘financial instrument’ means any-

 

(a)     interest-bearing arrangement; or

 

(b)     financial arrangement based on or determined with reference to a specified rate of interest or the time value of money;

Section 9A (ITA) – Blocked foreign funds

9A.     Blocked foreign funds

 

(1)     Where any amount, or any portion of any amount, received by or accrued to any person which is required to be included in the income of that person during any year of assessment may not be remitted to the Republic during that year as a result of currency or other restrictions or limitations imposed in terms of the laws of the country where the amount arose, that person shall be allowed to deduct from his or her income for that year an amount equal to so much of the amount or portion which may not be remitted as is required to be included in the income of that person for that year.

(2)     The amount or portion which may not be remitted during the year of assessment contemplated in subsection (1) shall be deemed to be an amount received by or accrued to the person contemplated in that subsection in the following year of assessment.

(3)     Where any amount, or any portion of any amount, of the net income of a controlled foreign company in respect of a foreign tax year of the controlled foreign company may not be remitted to the Republic for the reasons contemplated in subsection (1), there shall be allowed to be deducted from the net income of the controlled foreign company for that foreign tax year an amount equal to so much of the amount or portion which may not be remitted.

(4)     The amount or portion which may not be remitted as contemplated in subsection (3) shall be deemed to be an amount received by or accrued to the controlled foreign company contemplated in that subsection in the following foreign tax year of the controlled foreign company.


9B.    ………

Subsection 2 and 3 of section 8FA of ITA

(2)     Any amount that is incurred by a company or accrues to a person in respect of interest on or after the date that the interest becomes hybrid interest is—

(a)     deemed to be a dividend in specie in respect of a share that is declared and paid by that company to the person to whom that amount accrued on the last day of the year of assessment of that company during which it was incurred;

(b)     not deductible; and

(c)     deemed to be a dividend in specie in respect of a share that accrues to that person on the date contemplated in paragraph (a).

[Subsection (2) amended by section 9(1) of Act 43 of 2014, substituted by section 17(1)(b) of Act 15 of 2016 and by section 12 of Act 17 of 2017, amended by section 15(1) of Act 23 of 2018 and substituted by section 9(1) of Act 20 of 2021 effective on the date of promulgation of that Act, 19 January, 2022 and applicable in respect of amounts incurred or accrued on or after that date]

(3)     This section does not apply to any interest owed in respect of-

(a)     a debt owed by a small business corporation as defined in section 12E(4);

(b)     an instrument that constitutes a tier 1 or tier 2 capital instrument referred to in the regulations issued in terms of section 90 of the Banks Act (contained in Government Notice No. R.1029 published in Government Gazette No. 35950 of 12 December 2012) issued-


(i)      by a bank as defined in section 1 of that Act; or


(ii)     by a controlling company in relation to that bank;

(c)     an instrument of any class that is subject to approval as contemplated-


(i)      in the Short-term Insurance Act in accordance with the conditions determined in terms of section 23(1)(a) of that Act by the Registrar defined in that Act, where an amount is owed in respect of that instrument by a short-term insurer as defined in that Act; or

[Subparagraph (i) substituted by section 17(1)(c) of Act 15 of 2016 effective on 1 January, 2017 and applicable in respect of years of assessment commencing on or after that date]

(ii)     in the Long-term Insurance Act in accordance with the conditions determined in terms of section 24(1)(a) of that Act by the Registrar defined in that Act, where an amount is owed in respect of that instrument by a long-term insurer as defined in that Act; or

[Subparagraph (ii) substituted by section 17(1)(c) of Act 15 of 2016 effective on 1 January, 2017 and applicable in respect of years of assessment commencing on or after that date]

(d)     an instrument that constitutes a linked unit in a company where the linked unit is held by a long-term insurer as defined in the Long-term Insurance Act, a pension fund, a provident fund, a REIT or a short-term insurer as defined in the Short-term Insurance Act, if-


(i)      the long-term insurer, pension fund, provident fund, REIT or short-term insurer holds at least 20 per cent of the linked units in that company;


(ii)     the long-term insurer, pension fund, provident fund, REIT or short-term insurer acquired those linked units before 1 January 2013; and


(iii)    at the end of the previous year of assessment 80 per cent or more of the value of the assets of that company, reflected in the annual financial statements prepared in accordance with the Companies Act for the previous year of assessment, is directly or indirectly attributable to immovable property;

 

(e)     an instrument that constitutes a third-party backed instrument as defined in section 8F(1).

[Paragraph (e) added by section 17 of Act 15 of 2016 effective on 1 January 2017, applies in respect of years of assessment commencing on or after that date]

“Date of issue” definition of section 8E of ITA

(1)       For the purposes of this section-

 

‘date of issue’, in relation to a share in a company, means the date on which-

 

(a)     the share is issued by the company;

 

(b)     the company at any time after the share has been issued undertakes the obligation to redeem that share in whole or in part; or

 

(c)     the holder of the share at any time after the share has been issued obtains the right to require that share to be redeemed in whole or in part, otherwise than as a result of the acquisition of that share by that holder;