SARS warns of eFiling interruptions during Friday evening maintenance

Taxpayers and traders using SARS online services on Friday evening may encounter intermittent interruptions during a scheduled maintenance window running from 18:00 to 23:00 on 16 October 2026.

The South African Revenue Service identified eFiling and its Tax and Customs Digital Platforms as the services that could be affected. The five-hour window is in South African time.

Its maintenance notice warns of possible intermittent disruption. It does not announce a continuous five-hour shutdown or confirm that every user will lose access.

SARS said the work forms part of regular upgrades, enhancements and maintenance intended to keep its technology infrastructure available, secure and robust.

The timing matters for people completing tax administration ahead of next week’s individual filing deadline. SARS’s October update reminds non-provisional individual taxpayers that their filing season closes on 23 October 2026.

In a separate update dated 15 October, the revenue service said 17 October would be the last Saturday on which participating service centres would open to assist with income-tax returns before that deadline. Opening arrangements vary by centre.