SARS Commissioner Edward Kieswetter yesterday said there were encouraging signs of progress at the organisation, but there was still a long way to go.

BusinessLIVE reports that Kieswetter said it was still too early to declare victory in the turnaround of SARS from the deterioration it suffered during state capture but he was encouraged that staff levels, and the levels of engagement, were beginning to bear evidence.

The commissioner was speaking at a conference on accelerating public-sector reform organised by think-tank Government and Public Policy.

His comments follow SARS' success in collecting R38bn more revenue in 2020/2021 than was projected in the February Budget.

Kieswetter said there has also been a 26% improvement in taxpayer compliance this year. BusinessLIVE notes that SARS was decimated when former Commissioner Tom Moyane was at the helm during the height of state capture.

Kieswetter has embarked on a process of rebuilding and transforming SARS, but he said there were still those in denial about state capture 'and provide subtle opposition to the rebuilding work we need to do across government'.

'We still experience opposition to the rebuilding mandate very directly in the organisation but also outside in the body politic and broader society. We experience taxpayer compliance that is still suboptimal. We have seen a proliferation of criminal and illicit activities.'

Full BusinessLIVE report