SARS spent R26m on ‘rogue unit’ investigations
SARS paid financial services firm KPMG R23m to investigate allegations of irregularity and misconduct involving the so-called ‘rogue unit’ established to investigate tax evasion, says a BDlive report. This was in addition to the R332 177 spent to finance the work of the Kanyane committee and the R3m paid to the Sikhakhane Panel, both of which were mandated to investigate allegations against former SARS employee Johann van Loggerenberg, who was involved with the unit.
The information about the amounts spent by SARS to probe the activities of the unit emerged from a reply by Finance Minister Pravin Gordhan to a parliamentary question by DA finance spokesperson David Maynier. Gordhan was commissioner of SARS when the unit was established and has been targeted in the subsequent investigation of its activities. The report notes he has been scathingly critical of the KPMG report, which he said was finalised without asking him for his input.
The Sikhakhane and Kanyane reports never reached Treasury and the KPMG report was incomplete, Gordhan added according to a Netwerk24 report. Maynier said he was ‘absolutely shocked’ that the Treasury had not even received the reports. ‘It seems like an enormous amount of money was wasted on reports that clearly didn’t get the attention of national Treasury or the SARS advisory panel,’ he is quoted as saying. The DA would question SARS Commissioner Tom Moyane on this in Parliament next week.
Article disclaimer: While we have made every effort to ensure the accuracy of this article, it is not intended to provide final legal advice as facts and situations will differ from case to case, and therefore specific legal advice should be sought with a lawyer.
