Compliance, in plain language
A South African contractor owes more returns than most of them realise, and the penalty is rarely a fine. It is a tender you cannot bid on, a grant you forfeit, or a crew standing at a gate. These are the ones we get asked about most, written for the person who has to do the paperwork rather than for a lawyer.
Fifty or more employees makes you a designated employer. Here is what that costs you in paperwork and what it buys you in tenders.
Online submissions close 15 January · Checked 20 October 2026
You already paid the skills levy. Twenty percent of it comes back only if the report is in by 30 April.
Submissions close 30 April · Checked 20 October 2026
Free to issue, annual to renew, and the single document most likely to turn your whole crew away at a gate.
Tied to the Return of Earnings cycle · Checked 20 October 2026
Every client wants the pack their own way, and the employee half of it is out of date the week after you submit.
Checked 20 October 2026