Government collected more tax revenue than expected for the last fiscal year, but it was tighter controls by the taxman on individuals that contributed to the increase.

Minister of Finance Pravin Gordhan announced at the start of the Easter weekend that some R8bn more had been collected in the 2009 tax year than reflected in the adjusted February revenue target of R590.4bn. This was despite periods of economic contraction in the year.

From February 2009 to February this year there was a budget deficit of R69bn.

Oupa Magashula, commissioner of the South African Revenue Service (Sars) observed that in July last year measures were introduced to increase levels of collection. These measures included an increase in administrative fines which helped raise compliancy among taxpayers.

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