Legal Articles and Guides

The battle between the SARS and controversial Cape Town businessperson and alleged underworld boss Mark Lifman is far from over.

The SARS has conducted a wide-ranging confidential investigation into the second-hand gold industry and found what appears to be a multibillion-rand tax fraud scheme.

SARS is using hi-tech data analysis systems to ramp up operations against tax dodgers and South Africans squirrelling away money and assets in offshore havens.

SARS yesterday said its commissioner Edward Kieswetter received legal advice and strong recommendation to apply for leave to appeal Former President Jacob Zuma’s High Court tax judgment, reports EWN.

The SARS has approached the Constitutional Court for direct leave to appeal a far-reaching High Court order compelling it to hand over Jacob Zuma’s tax returns for his time as President to two media houses, reports the Mail & Guardian.

Former President Jacob Zuma has absolutely nothing to hide, but he is ‘very concerned about everyone else’, following a ruling that his tax records be made available to the media.

Foreign diplomats can go back to splurging on duty-free liquor and cigarettes after the Gauteng High Court (Pretoria) ruled against attempts by the government to curb what it said was abuse of the diplomatic privilege.

Criticism by the anonymous ‘Prof Balthazar’ of Gauteng High Court (Pretoria) Judge Norman Davis’ recent judgment ordering the release of Jacob Zuma’s tax records is taken up by constitutional law expert Professor Pierre de Vos.

The Jacob Zuma tax judgment, and SARS options, are ‘being fully deliberated and considered’, reports The Citizen. SARS Commissioner Edward Kieswetter – commenting on the Gauteng High Court (Pretoria) decision to order the release of the former President’s tax records to two media houses – said ‘once the deliberations are concluded, and a final decision is made’, he would communicate with the public.

‘Fresh from having had one of the most unreasoned judgments in recent history firmly overturned by the SCA, in which he held the declaration of the National State of Disaster in terms of the Disaster Management Act to be unconstitutional, Judge Norman Davis has now applied the same logic to the disclosure of Jacob Zuma’s tax returns.’

The Jacob Zuma Foundation has labelled a court ruling granting access to the tax records of the former President as 'bizarre', reports EWN.

The Gauteng High Court (Pretoria) yesterday ordered SARS to provide former President Jacob Zuma’s tax records to investigative journalism outfit amaBhungane and the Financial Mail within 10 days, as they are a matter of public interest.

MultiChoice is confident that its tax woes in Nigeria will be resolved, as the company fights two claims brought against it by that country's revenue authorities.

Former Metro FM DJ Sbusiso Arthur Leope has been slapped with a R15m tax bill by SARS.

Alleged Cape Town underworld boss Nafiz Modack yesterday appeared in court on charges of racketeering, fraud, money laundering, uttering and contravention of the VAT Act.