National Treasury 2026 MTBPS: Key Legislative Proposals and Tax Measures

Posted 21 October 2026 Written by Acts Online
Category Parliament

Brought to you by SA Legal Academy: National Treasury has outlined several forthcoming legislative reforms and revenue measures in the 2026 Medium Term Budget Policy Statement (MTBPS), covering exchange controls, unclaimed assets, fiscal targets, and temporary fuel levy relief.

Parliament’s Standing Committee on Finance and the Select Committee on Finance have issued a joint call for written submissions on the revised fiscal framework and revenue proposals by 26 October 2026, with public hearings scheduled for 28 October 2026.

Key Regulatory and Legislative Proposals

  • Capital flow management and crypto assets: Following input on the April 2026 draft capital flow management regulations, National Treasury is shifting the regulatory framework away from prior approvals toward post-transaction verification of legitimacy and tax compliance, aligned with Financial Stability Board recommendations. A revised draft will be published for a second round of public comment.
  • Unclaimed financial assets: Following the August 2026 draft centralisation framework, technical work is underway on institutional, legal, and operational structures. Enabling legislative amendments are scheduled for public consultation in 2027.
  • National online gambling tax: Consultations remain ongoing regarding the tax design and intergovernmental alignment with provincial licensing frameworks, with final legislative proposals to be announced in the February 2027 Budget.
  • Draft fiscal anchor legislation: Following gazetted notices calling for public input in October 2026, statutory fiscal anchor Bills are expected to be formally tabled in Parliament during 2027.
  • Infrastructure conditional grants and credit guarantee vehicle: Grant frameworks are being restructured to tighten compliance, execution, and project verification. To mobilise private capital, a dedicated credit guarantee vehicle incorporated in August 2026 has lodged an insurance licence application with the Prudential Authority, aiming for operational rollout in 2027.

Fuel Levy Reductions

In terms of temporary fuel price interventions, the fuel levy under the Customs and Excise Act, No. 91 of 1964, will be adjusted downward in two phases:

  • From 4 November 2026 to 1 December 2026: a reduction of R3.00 per litre on diesel and R1.50 per litre on petrol.
  • From 2 December 2026 to 5 January 2027: a reduction of R1.50 per litre on diesel and R1.00 per litre on petrol.

What this means for you, your business, or your clients

  • For yourself: Motorists and commuter professionals will experience temporary pump price relief through direct fuel levy reductions running from 4 November 2026 until 5 January 2027.
  • For your business: Fleet operators, logistics companies, and corporate supply chains must update enterprise billing and fuel-cost accounting models to account for the two-stage levy reductions through early January 2027.
  • For your clients: Financial institutions holding dormant accounts must prepare for 2027 draft unclaimed asset legislation, while cross-border investors and crypto-asset service providers should review tax compliance and audit trails in anticipation of the upcoming risk-based capital flow regulations.

Originally published at https://legalacademy.co.za/news/read/medium-term-budget-policy-statement-2026

The views expressed herein are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Acts Online. Acts Online accepts no responsibility for the accuracy, completeness or fairness of the article, nor does the information contained herein constitute advice, legal or otherwise.