As RSL Launches E-payment & E-Taxation platforms
By Ts’oloane Mohlomi
The Revenue Services Lesotho (RSL) this week launched their new E-payment and E-Taxation platforms in order to simplify and modify the entity’s customer engagements on a broader scale.
The new systems will enable clients to view their tax returns which were previously unfiled by utilizing the E-taxation platform which will also allow them to amend their returns at the comfort of their own homes or offices in a convenient way.
The E- payment will allow clients to view balances for different text types and also elect text types of interest if they wish to make a purchase, it also updates the client’s ledger in real-time which is very convenient. The RSL proclaimed themselves innovators and said the technologies would revolutionize taxation in the country.
Speaking at the event the Minister of Finance Honourable Rets’elisitsoe Matlanyane, lauded the RSL for their achievements and emphasised the importance of ongoing stakeholder engagements in the financial sector including the business sector and said things normally worked out when related sectors worked in unison.
She said the economy is confronted with great macroeconomic challenges and the global community is living in unprecedented times whereby the global economy was moving into a recession and Lesotho is also enduring in its own domestic recession, much felt by the greater population.
“No one can ignore the effects of our own recession as we see it and feel it every day. This is a time which posses stiff challenges for every policy maker in their bid to reinvigorate, resuscitate and reignite the economy to progress and keep moving. Not only to keep moving but to bring some decent amount of growth with it. A growth which will enable us to create a thriving private sector, which will in turn help in mobilising revenue.
“For a long-time as an economy we have depended on psycho revenue comprised and made up of trade taxes, which is a type that we do not have control over and tends to be quite viral and volatile at times. In my maiden budget speech to parliament a fortnite ago I emphasised on the importance of government to desist from this type of revenue but depend on our own revenue, and the same time we will need to facilitate the growth of the private sector as it is the one which will provide the much needed jobs,” she said.
As the aforementioned type of revenue had been diminishing over time, the Minister said that meant less resources for financing the national budget hence efforts needed to be made in ensuring we as an economy were self dependent and self sustainable.
In addition, the Finance Minister said given the dire state of the economy all was not lost and spurred on state holders to exert a hundred percent in make the best out of a good situation and most popularly described in modern times, make lemon out of lemonade.
“We need to increase domestic tax mobilisation, reduce the cost of tax collection while at the same time increasing our compliance. The RSL cannot do it alone and it is important and vital to always relay and communicate with the private sector so they can plan in advance and know the direction that policy makers with to take.
“We are in the midst of the fourth industrial evolution and we cannot afford to be left behind we need to jump on the bandwagon. Covid 19 posed various constraints but you all saw that technology is the answer, we as government are willing to engage in dialogues of e-commerce and doors are forever opened. Importantly we want you to grow and wish small, micro medium enterprises to grow and graduate that will be evident of a growing economy.
Minister Matlanyane also said they as government didn’t wish to force tax administration, but wished willing partners and emphasized the importance of regular engagements so that government can hear and understand all grievances. The VAT- value added tax administration needed to be prioritised and improved through the mobilisation programme, through as solution called e-invoicing.