The South African Revenue Service (SARS) has intensified its focus on tax compliance in the gig economy, sending a clear message to influencers, creators, and side hustlers: every rand earned must be declared. Sponsored content, brand collaborations, and other forms of income are now firmly in the spotlight, raising important questions about how these fast-growing industries should be regulated.
This heightened scrutiny has sparked a wider conversation about the legitimacy of side hustles and the formalisation of the creator economy in South Africa. With billions of rands circulating through brand deals and digital entrepreneurship, SARS’s clampdown is less about stifling growth and more about ensuring accountability.
To unpack what this means for creators and small business owners, CNBC Africa’s Prudence Makhubalo sat down with Luncedo Mtwentwe, Managing Director at Vantage Advisory.
