The South African Revenue Service (SARS) has announced the implementation of a virtual waiting room system for the 2025 manual tax filing season, following technical glitches that marred the launch of auto-assessments earlier this month.
The measure aims to prevent system overloads as millions of taxpayers prepare to file returns online via eFiling or the SARS MobiApp.
eFiling system buckled under pressure
Tax season kicked off on 7 July 2025, coinciding with the monthly employer filing deadline.
The overlap caused unusually high traffic volumes, which crashed SARS’ eFiling platform and left taxpayers and tax practitioners frustrated.
Although services were restored the following day, intermittent disruptions continued, forcing SARS to extend key deadlines to protect businesses from incurring penalties.
New virtual queueing system
To avoid similar disruptions when manual filing opens on Monday, 21 July, SARS is introducing a virtual queue that will temporarily hold users outside the system during high traffic periods.
“To manage the surge in traffic, we have set up a virtual waiting room to keep eFiling stable,” SARS said in a statement.
Users who land in the queue will receive a screen message notifying them of their place in line and estimated wait time.
Once it’s their turn, they’ll be automatically redirected to the login page – no need to refresh or retry.
Captcha verification may also be required.
Digital platform upgrades
SARS will conduct scheduled upgrades to its digital platforms throughout the tax season, primarily during non-business hours.
While services remain accessible during upgrades, intermittent disruptions may occur.
Key tax season 2025 dates
| Taxpayer type | Opens | Closes |
|---|---|---|
| Auto-assessments | 7 July 2025 | 20 July 2025 |
| Individuals | 21 July 2025 | 20 October 2025 |
| Provisional | 21 July 2025 | 19 January 2026 |
| Trusts | 21 July 2025 | 19 January 2026 |
SARS has urged taxpayers to file early and make use of off-peak hours where possible.
With millions expected to use online services, the agency said that these technological updates are part of its mission to modernise the tax process and ensure stability throughout the filing period.
For more information, taxpayers are encouraged to visit www.sars.gov.za.
Were you auto-assessed or do you still have to manually file your tax return?
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