In Remembrance Dr Beric Croome 23/5/960 to 22/4/2019

A long road to STREET SMART TAXPAYERS

In 2008, my husband Beric was awarded his PhD thesis on taxpayers' rights in South Africa. This pioneering work was later published as a legal text Taxpayers' Rights in South Africa (Juta Law, 2010), but he always believed it should be made available as a less technical guide to educate the ordinary South African taxpayers of their rights.  

In 2013, I offered my services as a writer and we approached Juta Law withe the proposal that I "translate" the legal text into a fun and easily understandable text that would make the complex tax laws of South Africa more accessible to the ordinary South Africa taxpayer.

Because of Beric's devastating illness (he was diagnosed with aggressive oesphageal cancer in 2015) the journey to publication has, at times, been as challenging as it was exhilirating. We couldn't have done it without the support and patience of our publishers Juta Law (especially our editor Melanie Wagner)  and the support of our family (especially my Mom, Dawn Heinemann, who despite having her second heart attack in 2016, has been a rock of support for us.) Our friends, too, have been incredibly supportive and understanding of the focus we needed to stay on the path to publication.

Finally, after four and a half years, "STREET SMART TAXPAYERS: A Practical Guide to Your Rights in South Africa" was revealed for the first time at the Tax Indaba 2017. 

You can order your copy of Street Smart Taxpayers from Juta Law by clicking here

Here's the blurb from the book's catalogue page on Juta's on-line shop:

Simplifying complex legal language and tax terminology, the book attempts to reduce the fear factor and frustrations that many taxpayers experience when dealing with tax matters.

Street Smart Taxpayers explains the processes SARS must follow when working with taxpayers throughout the various stages of the tax process, and identifies the remedies available to taxpayers. Together with interesting tax stories and a useful glossary for taxpayers to better understand tax lingo, Street Smart Taxpayers explores the following taxpayers’ rights:

• the right to property
• the right to equality
• the right to privacy
• the right of access to information
• the right to administrative justice
• the right to remain silent
• the right of access to courts

Combining humour, expert knowledge and anecdotes about the troubles taxpayers encounter in their dealings with SARS, the authors also investigate taxpayers’ obligations, how tax and religion intersect and the important question of ethics from the point of view of both SARS and the taxpayer. It is hoped that this book will enable taxpayers to be street smart and competent in handling their tax affairs.

Dr Beric Croome with Judge Bernard Ngoepe the Tax Ombud before joining him in panel discussion on "The Psychology of Tax Behaviour in Times of Recession" Tax Indaba 2017

 You can order your copy of Street Smart Taxpayers from Juta Law by clicking here

Contents Include:

• A history of South African taxation
• Taxpayers and the tax process
• Seeking help as a taxpayer
• What are your taxpayer rights?
• Taxpayers’ right to property
• Taxpayers’ right to equality
• Taxpayers’ right to privacy
• Taxpayers’ right to access to information
• Taxpayers’ right to administrative justice
• Taxpayers’ right to remain silent
• Taxpayers’ right of access to courts
• Taxpayers’ obligations
• The ethics of paying tax
• Taxpayers’ rights — an international work in progress
• Taxpayers’ remedies in South Africa
• The future of taxpayers’ rights
• Glossary 

At Tax Indaba 2017 - panel discussion on "The Psychology of Tax Behaviour in Times of Recession" Speakers from left to right: Dr Beric John Croome (ENSafrica), Dr Randall Carolissen (SARS), Judge Bernard Ngoepe (Tax Ombud SA) and Patricia Williams (Bowmans)
(Photograph courtesy of Thyann Delport of https://www.payspace.com/)

 Street Smart Taxpayers is of interest and benefit to:

• South African taxpayers
• Law students
• Tax practitioners 
• Government officials

 You can order your copy of Street Smart Taxpayers from Juta Law by clicking here

For the Love of Poetry

South African poet Judy Croome was judge of the 2016 Writers 2000 Poetry Competition. 

Read the "BEDFORDVIEW & EDENVALE NEWS" article here.

Listen to Judy Croome present feedback to competitors and announces the winner: 

All the photos of the festive function at Inyoni Creek Club House 

can be found on my Facebook page. 

Here are a few photo highlights:

Andrea Girling wins a volume of my poetry "a Lamp at Midday"

Giving the poetry entrants feedback and announcing the winners

Chairperson Nicki Bosman, Vice Chair Mike Corders and
Burgie Ireland of Writers2000

The Carnival themed Awards lunch had some imaginative and fun masks!
(I'm not wearing a mask!)

David and Gail Robbins from Porcupine Press.
David judged the non-fiction category.

Anthony Ehlers judged the fiction category

Poetry prizewinners from Left to Right: Jill Jacques (2nd placed poem "Sheddings"), myself,
Meggan Preuss (1st placed poem "You and I" and Duncan Steptoe (3rd placed poem "Emergence")

Being a judge has its rewards - not only reading great poetry ,
but also walking off with some lovely gifts!

Thank you to Writers 2000 for a fun filled afternoon!  

Sunday Times Travel Weekly: Head among the Clouds in the Italian Alps

After our recent overseas trip, my travel article was published in the SUNDAY TIMES. Here is the article in the on-line Times

HEAD AMONG THE CLOUDS IN THE ITALIAN ALPS by Judy Croome

As due to copyright, I can't reproduce the article here (not even the original unedited article) here are some random photos from the holiday:

Val de Mello near Chiavenna Italy

View from the balcony of Casa dell Ava in Pianazzola, our home for a week

We climbed down more than 2 kms of these steps from Pianazzola to Chiavenna
(and, yes, they are as steep as they look!)

On the way to Chiavenna we overnighted at St Moritz and woke to the first snows of the season

I loved Pianazzola because it was full of cats!

Exploring Pianazzola

The view from Casa dell Ava's balcony in Pianazzola after a rain storm

After Pianazzola, it was off to Milan and Teatro de alla Scala

and the Castello Sforza in Milan

And even more cats at the Castello then we found in Pianazzola!

and amazing buskers in the Milan Duomo

We started in Basel Switzerland where Beric represented South Africa at the International Fiscal Association's 69th Annual Congress - here he is talking to the nearly 2000 delegates!

In Chiavenna in the ancient and beautiful Church of San Lorenzo a close up of the magnificent gold filigree on the Peace of Chiavenna, a 12th century gold & bejewelled Bible cover.

Frescos at Church of San Lorenzo in Chiavenna

Aqua Fraggia near Chiavenna

View of the Rhine from our hotel room in Basel where the conference was

Switzerland = chocolate shops!!!!

Day time cruise down the Rhine

a stranger in a strange land

NEWSFLASH!

‪#‎Newsflash‬ Aztar Press is proud to announce the release of

"a stranger in a strange land" Judy Croome's latest volume of poetry.
Currently available from on-line stores as print and eBook. 
Available in South Africa from Loot, TakeaLot or direct from Aztar Press

Read reviews from Vine Leaves Literary Journal (UK) and Readers' Favorites (USA)

Radio Interview

Samm Marshall of SABC2 TV discusses THE WEIGHT OF A FEATHER and OTHER STORIES

Samm Marshall of SABC2's Morning Live discusses Judy Croome's anthology of short stories THE WEIGHT OF A FEATHER AND OTHER STORIES on early morning TV.

Author Judy Croome's anthology of short stories has a vibrant slice of life for anybody who dares to pick up her offering. She has hit her stride from the classical The Weight of a Feather to the emotional The Last Sacrifice. Her short story collection "The Weight of a Feather and Other Stories" is a special collection worth reading. She joins Samm Marshall in studio