Natural Elixir (Pty) Ltd ('Elixir'), the taxpayer, seeks to claim a deduction of the cost of acquiring machinery used by it in its trade. Elixir's trade is the provision of purified water for refilling, which sits atop free-standing water coolers (also called 'office coolers'). Elixir does not produce the bottles itself but rather refills the bottles returned to it by its clients - typically office cooler maintenance companies. The bottles are deep-cleansed and sterilized. The water as sourced from an underground source, undergoes a treatment process, the treated (purified) water is then filled in the bottles before the full bottles are collected by Elixir's clients. In the 2019 year of assessment, Elixir purchased new distillation and ozonation equipment. It claims this cost as a deduction in its 2019 income tax return. The Commissioner of Inland Revenue refuses to allow the deduction. Provide an opinion as to whether Elixir, the taxpayer, may deduct the cost of acquiring the new equipment.

Answer rating: 100% (QA)

Opinion Based on the information provided Elixir the taxpayer should likely be eligible to claim a d... View the full answer