An analysis of current tax revolt factors in South Africa

Abstract

PurposeThe purpose of this study is to determine whether the factors once identified through literature and compared to the current situation in South Africa could predict the possibility of a tax revolt in South Africa. South Africans are experiencing frequent increases in taxes on already overburdened taxpayers, corruption, a lack of service delivery by the government and high unemployment rates. South Africa has seen an increased amount of protests relating to taxes, corruption and a lack of basic services.Design/methodology/approachIn total, 12,000 Twitter feeds were collected from 14 February 2017 to 1 March 2017, the period before, during and after the South African National Budget Speech on 22 February 2017. The feeds were analysed using a thematic analysis. The emerging themes were identified as factors present in South Africa that may predict a possible tax revolt.FindingsThe factors found to be present in South Africa are: F1-failure of government to address the imminent collapse, F2-significant number of people with substantial debt, F3-onerous tax systems, including many different types of taxes, F4-high number of unemployed people, F5-education frustration, F6-increase in tax rates on citizens already overburdened by current taxes, F7-poor quality of governors, and performance of the country’s leaders and administration, including fraud and F8-wastefulness.Originality/valueThe value of the study is, first to contribute to the existing academic literature examining the factors that are likely to indicate a tax revolts. Second, the study uses an innovative data source, namely, tweets, to examine the climate for a possible tax revolt in South Africa.