SARS 'S NEW WAY OF EFILING IS NOT BEING FAIR TO ME AS A TAXPAYER

SARS generated automatic assessment for my 2021/2022 Tax Return. I then went through the Return to check and changed one or two things and my return was rejected. I am at home on medical boarding due to illness. I have been struggling since 2022 to sort my problem out as the call centre is no longer as functional and useful as it used to be. You wait for more that an hour without reaching any agent. I have been made to understand that I have to book to go the nearest branch, and cannot just walk-in. That makes matters worse as per the problem stated above on accessing the call centre. I left a message several times for SARS to contact me and have had to wait for a voice when I had a callback from SARS, holding for a long time to no avail, that is with no-one speaking. I also got a voicemail but could not make out how to use the unclear message left there. Up to now I have no clue why my revised return was rejected and I am at wits’ end on what to do. It was better when one could go to the branch for assistance if one felt it was better than contacting the call centre, and, mind you, the call centre responded in the twinkling of an eye during those Tax Years back then. Being taken remotely through the return during those days made things very easy.

MY WORRY IS THAT SARS IS QUICK AND, APPARENTLY, ENTITLED TO PENALISE ME AS A TAXPAYER REGARDLESS OF THE FACT THAT IT IS THEIR SYSTEMS THAT FAIL ME. WORSE STILL, IN ADDITION TO THE FRUSTRATION SARS HAS CAUSED ME INCLUDING SPENDING A LOT OF MONEY ON AIRTIME AND TIME WAITING FOR AN AGENT WITHOUT GETTING THROUGH, I AM NOT WELL. I HAVE TO EFILE FOR THE PRESENT TAX YEAR BUT I AM NOT SURE IT WILL HELP ME. EFILING HAS NEVER BEEN A PROBLEM TO ME SINCE I STARTED USING IT YEARS AGO BEFORE THERE WAS AUTOMATIC ASSESSMENT. WHERE DO I GO FROM HERE? WHAT SHOULD I DO SO SARS DOES NOT CHARGE PENALTY?