South African digital tax assistant TaxTim has been acquired by a private investment consortium led by Twofold Capital, in a transaction that marks a partial exit for co-founder Evan Robinson and a full exit for the company’s non-operational shareholders.
The acquisition includes Stellenbosch-based technology group Octoco, which joins the consortium to provide technical and operational support as the platform enters a new growth phase. Robinson, who co-founded TaxTim in 2011, will remain on board, leading product strategy as the business pushes toward greater automation and service expansion.
“This deal is an injection of new energy, expertise, and capital,” Robinson said. “I’m proud to continue pursuing our mission to make tax easy and accessible for all South Africans.”
Pioneering Digital Tax Filing in South Africa
TaxTim was launched over a decade ago to simplify income tax filing in South Africa. The platform integrates directly with SARS eFiling (South African Revenue Service) and offers a step-by-step digital assistant to guide users through their returns. Since its founding, it has processed over R700 million in refunds, serving both individuals and small businesses.
In addition to its core tax preparation tools, TaxTim has built a strong brand through financial literacy content and partnerships with major financial institutions. Partners include Momentum, FNB eBucks, Sanlam Reality, Old Mutual Rewards, and most recently, Capitec Live Better.
“TaxTim’s long-term partnerships with South Africa’s top financial brands demonstrate the platform’s trust and utility in the local market,” said Ed du Plessis, Director at Twofold Capital.
Consortium Eyes Expansion Through AI and Adjacent Services
The new owners plan to expand the platform’s capabilities with a focus on AI-driven automation, personalisation, and new adjacent offerings in fintech and compliance. The involvement of Octoco—known for its expertise in scalable platform development—is expected to accelerate this evolution.
“We believe TaxTim can become the go-to platform not just for tax filing, but for broader financial and compliance services,” du Plessis said. “With advances in AI, there’s a major opportunity to make the tax experience more seamless and inclusive.”
TaxTim’s acquisition comes at a time when digital financial services are seeing strong adoption in South Africa, driven by mobile penetration and increased comfort with online tools. The tax platform has become particularly valuable as compliance complexity grows and SARS continues to digitize its own processes.