Register for VAT — it’s not optional.
Panel and board manufacturer PG Bison has issued a call to action for businesses across the wood products and furniture supply chain to ensure they are fully tax-compliant and to report those who aren’t.
The company, South Africa’s largest manufacturer of particleboard, MDF and related products, flagged a specific concern: invoices circulating in the market that appear to omit VAT where it should be charged.
“This gives non-compliant suppliers an unfair price advantage over businesses operating within the law”, explains Justin Berry, PG Bison’s Executive: Marketing and Demand Creation. “If we do not address the smaller issues, we make it harder to protect what matters most: the country, its people and its future”.
The broader issue is illicit trade, which Berry argues harms far beyond a single lost sale. The company estimates that for every direct manufacturing job lost to non-compliance, up to seven indirect jobs across the value chain, including service providers, contractors, transport and logistics partners, and raw material suppliers, may also be at risk.
“We encourage all stakeholders to do the right thing. This is not about policing others. It is about shared responsibility. It is about protecting local industry, supporting jobs, and helping to build a fair and sustainable South Africa”, says Berry.
PG Bison is working with the Forestry Value Chain Forum, the South African Furniture Initiative (SAFI) and SARS to support action against tax and customs non-compliance.
If you suspect a tax or customs offence, report it anonymously to SARS on 0800 002870.