The South African Revenue Service (SARS) has confirmed the introduction of a virtual waiting room system that will be implemented during the upcoming manual tax filing period. This system is intended to support more reliable service delivery and reduce strain on the platform during peak periods when large volumes of taxpayers attempt to access eFiling simultaneously. This move signals a broader effort by SARS to stabilise its digital infrastructure and regain public confidence following recent criticism over system outages.
Key Takeaways
- Virtual Waiting Room Introduced: SARS will implement a virtual queue system for the 2025 manual filing season to manage high traffic on eFiling and MobiApp, helping prevent further outages and improve user experience.
- System Overload Triggers Deadline Extensions: The 2025 tax season began with technical issues due to heavy traffic from employer submissions and auto-assessments, forcing SARS to extend filing deadlines to avoid penalising affected taxpayers.
- Ongoing Platform Upgrades Planned: SARS will conduct regular system upgrades during off-peak hours throughout the tax season, but users may still encounter intermittent service disruptions during these maintenance windows.
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Technical Setbacks Mark Early Start to Tax Season
The start of the 2025 tax season was met with frustration from numerous South Africans after SARS’ eFiling platform experienced technical failures. Many taxpayers were unable to complete their filing tasks, leading to significant delays and complaints. These disruptions were especially problematic given the timing, as the rollout of auto-assessments began on 7 July 2025, the exact date that employers were required to submit their monthly tax declarations. The simultaneous pressure from individual and corporate filings created a digital bottleneck that SARS was clearly unprepared to handle.
The combination of auto-assessment launches and employer submissions caused a surge in traffic to SARS’ digital systems. The unexpected load placed on the infrastructure triggered multiple glitches within the eFiling system, making it temporarily inaccessible to some users. Although the service was restored the following day, several tax professionals and filers reported that the system continued to experience unstable behaviour, with recurring interruptions throughout the day.
This instability led to mounting anxiety among tax practitioners, especially those dealing with large volumes of client data and tight compliance windows.
Extended Deadlines to Prevent Unfair Penalties
Due to these persistent outages, SARS was compelled to adjust the relevant filing deadlines. This move was made to ensure that individual taxpayers and businesses would not be penalised for circumstances beyond their control. The extension provided much-needed flexibility for those who were otherwise ready to submit their returns but were hindered by platform instability. For many, the extensions offered only temporary relief, as concerns remain about whether the system can handle the next wave of submissions without collapse.
The manual submission phase of Tax Season 2025 is scheduled to begin on Monday, 21 July. With this window opening soon, SARS anticipates another influx of activity across its online platforms, particularly the eFiling website and the SARS MobiApp. To proactively address the possibility of system strain during this period, SARS has decided to implement the virtual waiting room mechanism as a preventative measure. Internally, SARS officials have reportedly flagged this filing period as a major stress test for the agency’s modernisation plans.
How the Virtual Queue System Will Work
The virtual waiting room is designed to regulate access when traffic levels become excessively high. If a user attempts to log in during a period of intense demand, they may be placed in a queue. A message will appear on the screen notifying the taxpayer that they are in line, along with an estimated waiting time. Once their position in the queue reaches the front, they will be redirected automatically to the login page. SARS has confirmed that no manual refreshing of the browser or rejoining of the queue will be necessary.
This kind of load-management strategy is more commonly seen in the private sector, raising hopes that SARS is now looking beyond basic public service models for solutions.
Extra Security Measures for Queue Access
In some instances, users may be required to complete an on-screen Captcha check to verify that they are human. This added layer of security is intended to maintain the integrity of the system and prevent disruption from automated bots or unauthorised access attempts. Cybersecurity experts have long warned that high-traffic government portals are prime targets for attacks, making this an essential line of defence rather than a simple formality.
To maintain consistent service and avoid further technical challenges, SARS will also continue with planned upgrades across its digital platforms throughout the tax season. These updates are carried out periodically and are typically scheduled to occur outside of standard business hours. Most of the work will be conducted during the evenings to reduce the impact on taxpayers. While services will generally remain available, SARS has cautioned that temporary disruptions or limited functionality may be experienced during these maintenance periods. Behind the scenes, these upgrades are part of a broader digital overhaul that SARS has been pressured to accelerate, especially following last year’s operational setbacks.
Key Filing Dates for the 2025 Tax Season
SARS has outlined the important timelines for various categories of taxpayers for the 2025 tax season:
| Category | Opens | Closes |
|---|---|---|
| Auto-Assessments | 7 July 2025 | 20 July 2025 |
| Individual Taxpayers | 21 July 2025 | 20 October 2025 |
| Provisional Taxpayers | 21 July 2025 | 19 January 2026 |
| Trusts | 21 July 2025 | 19 January 2026 |
With pressure mounting and expectations rising, SARS will face scrutiny not only for how smoothly it manages this tax season, but also for how transparently it communicates future changes and failures.
Conclusion
SARS’ decision to introduce a virtual waiting room for the 2025 tax season reflects a proactive attempt to address recent digital infrastructure failures that disrupted services for thousands of taxpayers. With manual filing set to begin soon and anticipated platform demand remaining high, the revenue service is under pressure to stabilise its systems, communicate more effectively, and ensure taxpayers can meet their obligations without facing unnecessary technical hurdles. The coming months will be a critical test of SARS’ ability to balance digital transformation with operational reliability.
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