SARS has rejected suggestions by Finance Minister Pravin Gordhan that its leadership lacks accountability, saying the allegations are unfounded and concerning.
“The SARS wishes to express its deepest concern and disturbance at this turn of events that cast aspersions and blemishes on the character and integrity of its leadership,” it says in a statement.
Gordhan recently responded to a question by the Democratic Alliance’s Shadow Minister of Finance David Maynier, who had asked whether or not SARS currently operates a ‘spy unit’ such as the one allegedly present during the Minister’s time as SARS Commissioner.
In his response, Gordhan forwarded information given to him by SARS, but warned Maynier that it may not be accurate, specifically “because of lack of accountability and co-operation from the SARS top management.
The relationship between Gordhan and current SARS Commissioner Tom Moyane has appeared strained in recent times, and this comment has once again stoked the tax chief’s fire.
“Since the current Finance Minister took office during December 2015, the SARS’ leadership has received 29 parliamentary questions through the office of the Finance Minister,” says the tax organisation, listing examples of its transparency and accountability. “All Parliamentary questions were responded to timeously and no single deadline was ever missed.”
“Since the current Finance Minister took office, the SARS’ leadership has appeared before the Standing Committee on Finance and SCOPA 5 times. At all material times, the SARS’ leadership has never missed a single Parliamentary Committee meetings;
“The SARS leadership has met the current Finance Minister 8 times since he took office to discuss issues of mutual interest. In this regard, the SARS’ record of meetings attest that the current Finance Minister has never at any point expressed lack of confidence and/or lack of accountability in the leadership of the SARS.”
Finally, it notes, all information submissions to Gordhan and any Parliamentary Committees “are always honest, truthful, correct and factual”. “To date and as a matter of fact, the SARS’ leadership has no record from the Ministry requesting it to verify the factual and correctness of the information provided,” it claims.
While Gordhan’s comments have caused ripples in the news, SARS says it feels no need to engage the Minister via the media, opting rather to focus on its professional working relationship with the National Treasury
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