Tax Freedom Day | Free Market Foundation

TAX FREEDOM DAY

Every income-earner in South Africa is taxed. Whether through income tax, VAT, fuel levies or other charges, the government takes a portion of everyone’s earnings. This means that for part of the year, South Africans are effectively working to fund the state.

WHAT IS TAX FREEDOM DAY

Tax Freedom Day is the day on which average South African income-earners at last start working for themselves, the day on which they have finally paid their tax bill in full.

In 1994 Tax Freedom Day was 12 April.
By 2024 it was 16 May – almost five weeks later.

Taxpayers needed to work almost five extra weeks to pay
for government expenditure in 2024 than they did 30 years ago.

Today government salaries alone consume more of our work
than the entire state budget did in 1994.

When does Tax Freedom Day fall this year?

Watch this space to find out!

At the end of 2025, with complete data for the year, the date could be revised a couple of days earlier or later. But over the past 30 years, the actual Tax Freedom Day has been trending ever later in the year – and making most people poorer.

Tax Freedom Day exposes the heavy toll that high taxes and government overreach take on hardworking citizens. Through its Liberty First initiative, the FMF is fighting to reverse this trend. By championing limited government, reduced state spending, and greater economic freedom, Liberty First aims to bring Tax Freedom Day closer to January, where it belongs.

Because true liberty starts when South Africans are free to enjoy the fruits of their own labour.