Lee-Ann Steenkamp

Stellenbosch University | SUN · Business School

Carbon pricing could assist in the dual pursuit of mitigating global climate change and contributing to government coffers. The way in which a government allocates carbon tax revenues is a key factor in the public’s acceptance of carbon pricing policy and ultimately in its enduring success. To that end, this article presents an innovative, simple c...

The study investigated the association between ownership concentration and different payout methods of selected companies listed on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange (JSE) in South Africa for the financial reporting periods 2012 to 2019. The research objective was to investigate whether payout behaviour differed when low and high ownership concentrat...

Fiscal policy comprises two elements, namely income and expenditure. The ways in which a government collects income through taxes, and spends it, are influenced by the societies and contexts for which the policy was designed. As such, fiscal policy is not immune to gender stereotyping. The traditional notions of men as ‘breadwinners’ and women as ‘...

In a country with one of the highest unemployment rates in the world,(1) earning a wage or salary is beyond the reach of millions of South Africans. For many individuals, the struggle to eke out a daily existence supersedes any aspirations to provide for retirement. Even amongst those fortunate to be employed, most cannot afford to retire.(2) Viewi...

South Africa’s carbon tax was introduced in June 2019 to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, improve sustainable development, and to systematically transition the country to operating within a greener economy. Given the very low tax rate and the fact that the South African government has not earmarked the carbon tax revenue for funding green initiativ...

The United Nations Environmental Programme (UNEP) estimates that over 70% of people living in Sub-Saharan Africa depend on the environment for their livelihood. It is common cause that there are numerous threats to the environment in Africa. Environmental degradation directly threatens the livelihoods of Africans and the economy overall. Traditiona...

The interplay between FDI inflows, energy consumption and environmental pollution stems from the pollution haven hypothesis (PHH). These relationships were examined by analysing panel data for 21 sub-Saharan African (SSA) countries from 1990-2016. More FDI inflows were found to worsen environmental pollution. However, when linked with relative inco...

Purpose Given the urgency to address the climate change crisis, the purpose of this study was to investigate the impact of 12 macro-level antecedents on energy and environmental (E&E) shareholder activism in 12 developed countries. Focus was placed on shareholder-initiated E&E resolutions. Design/methodology/approach Panel regressions were used to...

South Africa’s carbon tax could help finance the country’s green economic transition. But is it merely another revenue stream to plug the gaps in the fiscus?

Smallholder farmers are especially at risk of the harmful impacts of climate change. Their livelihoods are often dependent on agriculture, and they are susceptible to chronic food insecurity. Namibia is one of the largest and driest countries in sub‐Saharan Africa and faces a supreme challenge in becoming climate resilient. To that end, this study...

Background: Investor tax preference parameters have been included as an explanatory variable for changes in payout methods in developed countries. There is, however, a lack of research in this area in developing countries. Tax reform in South Africa – comprising a change in the tax regime and successive increases in tax rates – offers a unique sett...

Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) ranks lowest globally in respect of energy access rates. The resulting high energy poverty impedes sustainable economic growth and aggravates the overall poverty which is prevalent in SSA countries. A better understanding of the relationship between financial development and energy consumption can contribute to enhancing su...

Advanced Questions on SA Tax is the third and final publication in the Questions on SA Tax series designed to provide comprehensive tutorial coverage to Taxation students.

South Africa's economy is heavily reliant upon coal, which makes it one of the dirtiest energy producers in the world. Ranking among the top 20 carbon dioxide (CO2) emitters globally, the country will have to implement strict(er) policies to ensure its commitments under the Paris Agreement on Climate Change are honoured. One such policy is the new...

Climate change is no longer solely an environmental problem, but has also become "an economic, trade and security issue" (UNFCCC 2002). The Paris Agreement on Climate Change aims to keep global temperature increase well below two degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels (UNFCCC 2015). Carbon offsetting is an increasingly popular means of taking...

Two years after the Paris Agreement on Climate Change (the 'Paris Agreement') entered into force, most signatory countries are faltering in achieving the pledges they made to reduce GHG emissions. The BRICS grouping is no exception, with all member countries falling among the top 20 fossil fuel emitters globally. Environmental taxes (of which energ...

Two years after the Paris Agreement on Climate Change (the 'Paris Agreement') entered into force, most signatory countries are faltering in achieving the pledges they made to reduce GHG emissions. The BRICS grouping is no exception, with all member countries falling among the top 20 fossil fuel emitters globally. Environmental taxes (of which energ...

Home to nearly ten per cent of all known species of birds, fish and plants registered in the world, as well as six per cent of mammal and reptile species, South Africa is one of the most biologically diverse countries in the world. The country's extraordinary diversity of fauna and flora is, however, one of the most threatened on the planet. The ke...

South Africa ratified the Paris Agreement in 2016 and thereby committed to reducing Greenhouse Gas (GHG) concentration levels as part of its self-determined goals in its Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC). This article viewed the targets in the NDC through an ethical lens. It was demonstrated that the commitment below the ‘business-as-usual’...

Home to nearly ten per cent of all known species of birds, fish and plants registered in the world, as well as six per cent of mammal and reptile species, South Africa is one of the most biologically diverse countries in the world. The country's extraordinary diversity of fauna and flora is, however, one of the most threatened on the planet. The ke...

This chapter outlines and assesses the development and role of financial mechanisms and fiscal incentives in South Africa and Nigeria. Not only are these two countries the two leading economic power houses in Africa but they are also the two largest emitters of GHGs on the African continent.

South Africa accounted for more than one-third of the total energy-related CO2 emissions on the African continent. South Africa's energy and electricity supplies are dominated by coal. The country's energy mix is expected to shift considerably towards renewables over the next two decades. This paper examines policy options for promoting such a shif...

Most tax treaties (including South Africa’s) are based on the OECD Model Tax Convention on Income and Capital and the related Commentary (the ‘OECD Model’). Notwithstanding the uncertainty surrounding its legal status, the courts in many countries use the Commentary in the interpretation of treaties. This article aims to contribute to the debate re...

Most tax treaties (including South Africa's) are based on the OECD Model Tax Convention on Income and Capital and the related Commentary (the 'OECD Model'). Notwithstanding the uncertainty surrounding its legal status, the courts in many countries use the OECD Model in the interpretation of their tax treaties. The OECD launched an action plan on Ba...

South Africa might want to consider raising its retirement age to 70 to cope with a challenge of an ageing population that's under-insured and relying on an already pressured public purse.

The proposed exploration and ultimately production of shale gas in the Karoo presents a potentially lucrative opportunity for the South African government to generate tax revenue. In the absence of dedicated domestic fiscal legislation specifically aimed at unconventional gas projects, the objective of this chapter is to consider whether replicatin...

Increased tax avoidance globally has led the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), with the sanction of the G20 countries, to launch an action plan on Base Erosion and Profit Shifting (BEPS), to assist and support governments across the world in an endeavour to counter tax avoidance. Anti-avoidance measures include legislati...

South Africa accounts for more than one-third of the total energy-related CO2 emissions of the continent. Despite hosting some of the world's richest biodiversity, South Africa's economy is also one of the most energy- and carbon-intensive. These environmental challenges have increased pressure on the government to find ways to reduce environmental...

South Africa is generally considered to be the gateway to Africa. The main objective of this paper is to analyse whether South Africa's double tax agreements (DTAs) can act as a stimulus for attracting overseas investors. The paper examines South Africa's dividends withholding tax (DWT) regime to determine whether our DTAs can unlock this so-called...

In this era of globalisation, developing countries have resorted to double tax agreements in order to attract foreign direct investment. The extent to which a country’s tax treaty policy favours developing countries or not depends upon the extent to which the country is prepared to adopt provisions from the UN model tax convention as opposed to the...

The South African Revenue Service (SARS) implemented a more aggressive reporting system in 2008 by introducing new reportable arrangements ('RA') provisions in the Income Tax Act. In March 2010, SARS issued a revised Draft Guide to Reportable Arrangements for public comment. More than three years after its release, there is still no finalised, upda...

In the years since the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) adopted its first draft tax treaty in 1963, the world has experienced an astonishing surge in international trade and investment. The tax treatment of these cross-border transactions is affected by double tax agreements. As tax treaty networks will likely continue t...

The reportable arrangements (RA) provisions are contained in sections 80M to 80T of the Income Tax Act. SARS issued a revised Draft Guide on 31 March 2010, which contains a model for the application of these provisions. However, due to numerous discrepancies and ambiguities contained in the Act and the guide, the interpretation of these provisions...

Impermissible tax avoidance transactions cross the dividing line between legal tax avoidance and illegal tax evasion. In response, governments across the globe have adopted legislative, judicial and administrative measures to combat this type of tax avoidance. This article reviews the use of the administrative techniques employed by the Canada Reve...

A thorough examination of the reportable arrangements provisions of the Income Tax Act, particularly section 80M(1)(d), shows that the interpretation of these provisions is subjective and difficult to apply in practice. This is evidenced by the number of submissions received by SARS, the conflicting results to some of the survey questions (as part...

In terms of s 18 of the Income Tax Act 58 of 1962 (‘the Act’), natural persons may deduct certain medical-related expenses for income tax purposes. Sections 18(1)(d), 18(2)(b) and 18(3) (‘the disability provisions’) were amended with effect from 1 March 2009. The terms ‘physical disability’ and ‘handicapped’ were replaced by ‘physical impairment’ a...

A section 80M(1)(d) reportable arrangement is defined in the Income Tax Act 58 of 1962, as amended, and contains the reasonable expectation of a pre-tax profit requirement. Such an arrangement must be reported to the Commissioner of the South African Revenue Service within 60 days. Failure to do so can result in a R1 million penalty. It is submitte...