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SA-TIED hosts first data lab roadshow at the University of Pretoria

SA-TIED marked a significant milestone on 13 October 2023, by hosting an inaugural National Treasury Secure Data Facility (NTSDF) data lab roadshow at the University of Pretoria. The event featured a presentation by the project team, in collaboration with National Treasury colleagues, to an audience consisting of faculty members and postgraduate students.

The presentation shed light on SA-TIED’s work streams and showcased the NTSDF’s role in granting access to administrative tax data. Attendees gained insights into diverse research areas, including enterprise development for job creation, tax policy, economic growth, labour market dynamics, inequality, and more. The roadshow also provided an exclusive opportunity for the University of Pretoria community to acquaint themselves with the SA-TIED programme, which is dedicated to strengthening policymaking within South Africa and bridging essential knowledge gaps for inclusive growth and economic transformation.

NTSDF's role in shaping economic policies

The roadshow is a testament to the successful collaboration between National Treasury, the South African Revenue Services (SARS), and UNU-WIDER within the SA-TIED programme. Since its establishment in 2018, the NTSDF has attracted a growing community of national and international researchers. It has also witnessed substantial growth in the number of research projects utilizing its datasets, which cover critical areas such as Corporate Income Tax (CIT), Value Added Tax (VAT), Personal Income Tax (PIT), and more. 

In a world where South Africa and many nations grapple with complex economic challenges, data-driven insights have become indispensable. The NTSDF is a pioneering initiative democratizing access to essential administrative tax data. This empowers researchers with the tools they need to address modern economies' complexities effectively. The importance of administrative data in policymaking cannot be overstated. It addresses the limitations of traditional datasets, allowing researchers to provide precise and targeted policy responses.

Building on the success of the roadshow at the University of Pretoria, SA-TIED plans to conduct additional roadshows at various universities across South Africa in 2024, fostering further exploration of the extensive possibilities in leveraging data for informed policy decisions and actively contributing to shaping the future of economic policies in the Southern Africa region.

More information on the NTSDF is available here.