More taxes coming

• BURS targets informal sector, to tax online businesses
• We are losing a lot to Amazon and others – BURS

BAKANG TIRO

editors@thepatriot.co.bw

Notwithstanding growing concerns about the high cost of living for majority of households., which has eroded disposal income for workers causing serious economic challenges and rising debt, Botswana Unified Revenue Service (BURS) has hinted at increasing tax revenue streams to arrest economic contraction.

BURS Commissioner General, Jeanette Makgolo told journalists last week that they are looking into taxing informal sector and multinational companies such as Amazon and Alibaba etc. She revealed that Botswana has been losing millions which could be deducted from the multinationals to boost government coffers. She also said the informal sector is another potential sector to diversify tax revenue. BURS officials noted that the informal sector could be grouped into three categories being the small, medium, and large to determine how they could be taxed effectively.

Contacted for comment on Friday, president of Botswana Informal Sector Association (BOISA) Thatayaone Ramasu said it would be unfortunate for BURS to think of getting tax from the informal sector businesses. He said while they await formal communication from BURS regarding its proposals, it must be known that informal sector traders are already paying taxes in the form of Value Added Tax (VAT) and customs duty at the border posts.

Also, government in the past considered to introduce carbon and digital taxes targeting the multinational businesses that are doing business in Botswana while their accounts are held in different countries where they pay taxes.

According to the Center for Climate and Energy Solutions, under a carbon tax the government set a price that emitters must pay for each ton of the greenhouse gas emissions that they emit. They said businesses and consumers will take steps, such as switching fuels or adopting new technologies, to reduce their emissions to avoid paying the tax.

A carbon tax can raise significant revenue. How that revenue is used will ultimately be a political choice. Some or all of it could be returned to consumers in the form of a dividend. Alternatively, it could be reinvested in climate purposes, such as advancing low-carbon technologies or building resilience, “said Center for Climate and Energy Solutions, the Virginia based leading think tank on carbon taxes.

Income Tax

Proposals by BURS to increase tax revenue streams comes at a time where government has announced an increase in taxes for businesses and workers respectively. Finance Minister Ndaba Gaolathe in February during the budget speech said there would be a hike on the personal income tax rate by 1.5% to 23.5%.

However, the public sector trade unions last week during a media briefing said they are against the hike on income tax and would engage Gaolathe about that, citing that a hike will be a burden on the workers.

The Six Cooperating Trade Unions plus one union said the government should prioritize closing revenue leakages due to corruption instead of overwhelming workers and businesses with increased tax rates.

According to the unions, 1.5% income tax increase for high earning individuals including some civil servants will reduce their take home without a corresponding salary adjustment.

Meanwhile, BURS officials said the proposed 1.5% income tax rate increase has not yet been affected as BURS is still awaiting the Amendment Act which will pronounce the commencement date of tax hike.