Income Tax Act, 1962 (Act No. 58 of 1962)Chapter II : The TaxesPart I : Normal Tax12C. Deduction in respect of assets used by manufacturers or hotel keepers and in respect of aircraft and ships, and in respect of assets used for storage and packing of agricultural products |
[Section 12C heading substituted by section 27(a) of the Taxation Laws Amendment Act, 2018 (Act No. 23 of 2018), GG 42172, dated 17 January 2019]
(1) In respect of any—
| (a) | machinery or plant (other than machinery or plant in respect of which an allowance has been granted to the taxpayer under paragraph (b)) owned by the taxpayer or acquired by the taxpayer as purchaser in terms of an agreement contemplated in paragraph (a) of the definition of "instalment credit agreement" in section 1 of the Value-Added Tax Act and which was or is brought into use for the first time by the taxpayer for the purposes of the taxpayer’s trade (other than mining or farming) and is used by the taxpayer directly in a process of manufacture carried on by the taxpayer or any other process carried on by the taxpayer which is of a similar nature; |
[Section 12C(1)(a) substituted by section 20(1)(a) of the Taxation Laws Amendment Act, 2015 (Act No. 25 of 2015)]
| (b) | machinery or plant (other than machinery or plant in respect of which an allowance has been granted to the taxpayer under paragraph (a)) owned by the taxpayer or acquired by the taxpayer as purchaser in terms of an agreement contemplated in paragraph (a) of the definition of "instalment credit agreement" in section 1 of the Value-Added Tax Act and which was or is let by the taxpayer and was or is brought into use for the first time by the lessee for the purposes of the lessee's trade (other than mining or farming) and is used by the lessee directly in a process of manufacture carried on by the lessee or any other process carried on by the lessee which is of a similar nature; |
[Section 12C(1)(b) substituted by section 20(1)(a) of the Taxation Laws Amendment Act, 2015 (Act No. 25 of 2015)]
| (bA) | machinery or plant owned by the taxpayer or acquired by the taxpayer as purchaser in terms of an agreement contemplated in paragraph (a) of the definition of "instalment credit agreement" in section 1 of the Value-Added Tax Act and which was or is made available for use by the taxpayer in terms of a contract to another person for no consideration and was or is brought into use for the first time by that other person for the purposes of that other person’s trade (other than mining or farming) and is used by that other person solely for the benefit of that taxpayer for the purposes of the performance of that other person’s obligations under that contract in a process of manufacture under the Automotive Production and Development Programme administered by the Department of Trade, Industry and Competition or Automotive Investment Scheme administered by that Department; |
[Section 12C(1)(bA) substituted by section 14 of the Taxation Laws Amendment Act, 2020 (Act No. 23 of 2020), GG44083, dated 20 January 2021]
| (c) | machinery or plant (other than machinery or plant in respect of which an allowance has been granted to the taxpayer under paragraph (a)) owned by the taxpayer or acquired by the taxpayer as a purchaser in terms of an agreement contemplated in paragraph (a) of the definition of "instalment credit agreement" in section 1 of the Value-Added Tax Act and which was or is brought into use for the first time by any agricultural co-operative registered or deemed to be incorporated under the Co-operatives Act, 1981 (Act No. 91 of 1981), or registered under the Co-operatives Act, 2005 (Act No. 14 of 2005) and is used by it directly for storing or packing pastoral, agricultural or other farm products of its members (including any person who is a member of another agricultural co-operative which is itself a member of such agricultural co-operative) or for subjecting such products to a primary process as defined in section 27(9); |
[Section 12C(1)(c) substituted by section 32(1)(a) of the Taxation Laws Amendment Act, 2013 (Act No. 31 of 2013)]
| (d) | machinery, implement, utensil or article (other than any machinery, implement, utensil or article in respect of which an allowance has been granted to the taxpayer under paragraph (e)) owned by the taxpayer or acquired by the taxpayer as purchaser in terms of an agreement contemplated in paragraph (a) of the definition of "instalment credit agreement" in section 1 of the Value-Added Tax Act and which was or is brought into use for the first time by any taxpayer for the purposes of the taxpayer’s trade as hotel keeper and is used by the taxpayer in a hotel, except any vehicle or equipment for offices or managers' or servants' rooms; |
[Section 12C(1)(d) substituted by section 27(b) of the Taxation Laws Amendment Act, 2018 (Act No. 23 of 2018), GG 42172, dated 17 January 2019]
| (e) | machinery, implement, utensil or article (other than any machinery, implement, utensil or article in respect of which an allowance has been granted to the taxpayer under paragraph (d)) owned by the taxpayer or acquired by the taxpayer as purchaser in terms of an agreement contemplated in paragraph (a) of the definition of "instalment credit agreement" in section 1 of the Value-Added Tax Act and which was or is let by the taxpayer and was or is brought into use for the first time by the lessee for the purposes of the lessee's trade as hotel keeper and used by the lessee in a hotel, except any vehicle or equipment for offices or managers' or servants' rooms; |
[Section 12C(1)(e) substituted by section 27(c) of the Taxation Laws Amendment Act, 2018 (Act No. 23 of 2018), GG 42172, dated 17 January 2019]
| (f) | aircraft owned by the taxpayer or acquired by the taxpayer as purchaser in terms of an agreement contemplated in paragraph (a) of the definition of "instalment credit agreement" in section 1 of the Value-Added Tax Act and which was or is brought into use for the first time by the taxpayer for the purposes of his trade (other than an aircraft in respect of which an allowance has been granted to the taxpayer under section 12B ); |
[Section 12C(1)(f) substituted by section 32(1)(b) of the Taxation Laws Amendment Act, 2013 (Act No. 31 of 2013) - effective 1 April 2014]
| (g) | ship owned by the taxpayer or acquired by the taxpayer as purchaser in terms of an agreement contemplated in paragraph (a) of the definition of "instalment credit agreement" in section 1 of the Value-Added Tax Act and which was or is brought into use for the first time by the taxpayer for the purposes of his or her trade (other than a South African ship contemplated in section 12Q(1)); |
[Section 12C(1)(g) substituted by section 32(1)(b) of the Taxation Laws Amendment Act, 2013 (Act No. 31 of 2013) - effective 1 April 2014]
| (gA) | new or unused machinery or plant, which is owned by a taxpayer, or acquired by a taxpayer as purchaser in terms of an agreement contemplated in paragraph (a) of the definition of "instalment credit agreement" in section 1 of the Value-Added Tax Act and is first brought into use by that taxpayer for purposes of research and development as defined in section 11D; |
[Section 12C(1)(gA) substituted by section 32(1)(a) of the Taxation Laws Amendment Act, 2013 (Act No. 31 of 2013)]
| (h) | improvement (other than repairs) to any machinery, plant, implement, utensil or article referred to in paragraph (a), (b), (c), (d), (e) or (gA), which is during the year of assessment used as contemplated in that paragraph, |
[Section 12C(1)(h) substituted by section 33(1)(b) of the Taxation Laws Amendment Act, 2011 (Act No. 24 of 2011) - effective 1 April 2012]
a deduction equal to 20 per cent of the cost to that taxpayer to acquire that machinery, plant, implement, utensil, article, ship, aircraft or improvement (hereinafter referred to as the asset) shall be allowed in the year of assessment during which the asset is so brought into use and in each of the four succeeding years of assessment:
[Words following paragraph 12C(1)(h) and preceding the proviso substituted by section 24(1)(a) of the Taxation Laws Amendment Act, 2012 (Act No. 22 of 2012) - effective 1 April 2012]
Provided that where—
| (a) | [Paragraph (a) of the proviso to section 12C(1) deleted by section 32(1)(c) of the Taxation Laws Amendment Act, 2013 (Act No. 31 of 2013) GG 37158, dated 12 December 2013] |
| (b) | [Paragraph (b) of the proviso to section 12C(1) not published] |
| (c) | any new or unused machinery or plant referred to in paragraph (a) of this subsection, or improvement referred to in paragraph (h) of this subsection, is or was— |
| (i) | acquired by the taxpayer under an agreement formally and finally signed by every party to the agreement on or after 1 March 2002; and |
| (ii) | brought into use by the taxpayer on or after that date in a process of manufacture or process which is of a similar nature, carried on by that taxpayer in the course of its business (other than banking, financial services, insurance or rental business), |
[Paragraph (c)(ii) of the proviso to section 12C(1) substituted by section 20(1)(c) of the Taxation Laws Amendment Act, 2015 (Act No. 25 of 2015)]
| (d) | any new or unused machinery or plant referred to in paragraph (gA) of this subsection or improvement referred to in paragraph (h) of this subsection, is or was— |
| (i) | acquired by the taxpayer under an agreement formally and finally signed by every party to the agreement on or after 1 January 2012; and |
| (ii) | brought into use by the taxpayer on or after that date for the purpose of research and development as defined in section 11D, |
the deduction under this subsection shall be—
| (aa) | increased to 50 per cent of the cost to that taxpayer of that machinery, plant or improvement in respect of the year of assessment during which the plant, machinery or improvement is or was so brought into use for the first time; |
| (bb) | 30 per cent of that cost in the year of assessment immediately succeeding the year of assessment contemplated in item (aa); and |
| (cc) | 20 per cent of that cost in the year of assessment immediately succeeding the year of assessment contemplated in item (bb): |
[Paragraph (d) and the words following paragraph (d) of the proviso to section 12C(1) substituted by section 32(1)(d) of the Taxation Laws Amendment Act, 2013 (Act No. 31 of 2013) - effective 1 January 2013]
Provided further that where any machinery, plant, implement, utensil, article or improvement qualifying for an allowance under this section is mounted on or affixed to any concrete or other foundation or supporting structure and—
[Further proviso to section 12(C)(1) substituted by section 24(1)(b) of the Taxation Laws Amendment Act, 2012 (Act No. 22 of 2012) - effective 1 January 2013]
| (a) | the foundation or supporting structure is designed for such machinery, plant, implement, utensil, article or improvement and constructed in such manner that it is or should be regarded as being integrated with the machinery, plant, implement, utensil, article or improvement; and |
| (b) | the useful life of the foundation or supporting structure is or will be limited to the useful life of the machinery, plant, implement, utensil, article or improvement mounted thereon or affixed thereto, |
the foundation or supporting structure shall be deemed to be a part of the machinery, implement, utensil, article or improvement mounted thereon or affixed thereto.
| (2) | For the purposes of this section the cost to a taxpayer of any asset shall be deemed to be the lesser of the actual cost to the taxpayer to acquire that asset or the cost which a person would, if he had acquired that asset under a cash transaction concluded at arm's length on the date on which the transaction for the acquisition of that asset was in fact concluded, have incurred in respect of the direct cost of acquisition of the asset, including the direct cost of the installation or erection thereof. |
[Section 12C(2) substituted by section 23 of the Taxation Laws Amendment Act, 2017 (Act No. 17 of 2017)]
| (3) | No deduction shall be allowed under this section in respect of— |
| (a) | any asset which has been let by the taxpayer under a lease other than an operating lease as defined in section 23A(1), unless the lessee under such lease derives in the carrying on of his trade amounts constituting income for the purposes of this Act; |
| (b) | [Section 12C(3)(b) deleted by the Taxation Laws Amendment Act, 2013 (Act No. 31 of 2013), GG 37158, dated 12 December 2013] |
| (c) | any asset which has been disposed of by the taxpayer during any previous year of assessment; |
[Section 12C(3)(c) substituted by section 32(1)(f) of the Taxation Laws Amendment Act, 2013 (Act No. 31 of 2013)]
| (d) | any asset in respect of which an allowance has been granted to the taxpayer under section 12E ; or |
[Section 12C(3)(c) substituted by section 32(1)(f) of the Taxation Laws Amendment Act, 2013 (Act No. 31 of 2013)]
| (e) | any asset the ownership of which is retained by the taxpayer as a seller in terms of an agreement contemplated in paragraph (a) of the definition of "instalment credit agreement" in section 1 of the Value-Added Tax Act. |
[Section 12C(3)(c) substituted by section 32(1)(g) of the Taxation Laws Amendment Act, 2013 (Act No. 31 of 2013)]
| (4) | [Section 12C(4) deleted by section 22 of the Revenue Laws Amendment Act, 2007 (Act No. 35 of 2007] |
| (4A) | Where any asset in respect of which any deduction is claimed in terms of this section was during any previous year of assessment used by the taxpayer for the purposes of any trade carried on by such taxpayer, the receipts and accruals of which were not included in the income of such taxpayer during such year, any deduction which could have been allowed in terms of this section during such previous year or any subsequent year that such asset was used by such taxpayer shall for the purposes of this section be deemed to have been allowed during such previous year or years as if the receipts and accruals of such trade had been included in the income of such taxpayer. |
[Section 12C(4A) substituted by section 20 of the Revenue Laws Amendment Act, 2008 (Act No. 60 of 2008)]
| (5) | The deductions which may be allowed or deemed to have been allowed in terms of this section and section 11(o) in respect of any asset shall not in the aggregate exceed the cost to the taxpayer of such asset. |
[Section 12C(5) substituted by section 18(b) of the Revenue Laws Amendment Act, 2000 (Act No. 59 of 2000)]
| (6) | Any expenditure (other than expenditure referred to in section 11(a)) incurred by a taxpayer during any year of assessment in moving an asset in respect of which a deduction was allowed or is allowable under this section or section 12B from one location to another shall— |
| (a) | where the taxpayer is entitled to a deduction in respect of such asset under subsection (1) in that year and one or more succeeding years, be allowed to be deducted from his income in equal instalments in each year in which such a deduction is allowable; or |
| (b) | in any other case, be allowed to be deducted from his income in that year. |
[Section 12C(6) inserted by section 11 of the Income Tax Act, 1994 (Act No. 21 of 1994)]
[Section 12C inserted by section 14(1) of the Income Tax Act, 1990 (Act No. 101 of 1990)]