QUESTION $1(12$ marks$)$

Easy Elevators $($Pty$)$ Ltd$\text{'}$s $("$EE$")$ core business is the maintenance of elevators in residential and commercial buildings in the Gauteng region. It has service agreements with each of its customers and in terms of these, a monthly maintenance fee of R$15000$ is payable on or before the seventh $(7^{th})$ day of each month before that month's service occurs. EE is a company incorporated in South Africa and its year of assessment ends on $31$ March.

One of EE's customers paid an amount of R$45000$ into EE's bank account on $7$ March $2024.$ This amount is for the maintenance service fees in respect of the following three months i$.$e$.$ March $2024$ to May $2024.$ EE was informed by the customer that the building's caretaker decided to pay three months' fee upfront as he would be out of the country for an extended period and wanted to ensure the maintenance of the elevators would continue as usual during this time.

$\backslash$table$[[$REQUIRED$,$MARKS$],[$Discuss whether the receipt of the R$45000$ maintenance service fee would constitute,$],[$gross income of Easy Elevators $($Pty$)$ Ltd as defined in the Income Tax Act $58$ of $1962$ for,$],[$the year of assessment ending $31$ March $2024.,],[$List all the gross income definition requirements, discuss each one and briefly refer to$,],[$case law to strengthen your argument.,$]]$