SARS spokesman feared losing job

Did South African Revenue Services commissioner Tom Moyane and other top officials suspect that former spokesman Adrian Lackay was associated with the “rogue unit”?

Lackay told the Commission for Conciliation, Mediation and Arbitration (CCMA) yesterday: “The only conclusion I could come to was that in the view of this current SARS leadership, I was associated with the alleged ‘rogue unit’, those who are accused of establishing the unit and the activities of the unit.”

Asked by his lawyer if he was associated with the unit, Lackay said: “Not at all.” Neither Moyane nor any other senior official had asked him about his involvement before barring him from communicating on the matter to the media.

Lackay said the events that led him to resign from his job in February 2015 had instilled fear he might lose his job.

“[The circumstances that led to my resignation include] the inaccessibility of the commissioner for me . . . . the deliberate withholding of crucial information from me and a whole series of other things I have testified to.

“In that context, I genuinely, genuinely feared that should I attempt a grievance procedure or bring such a complaint against the commissioner they would deal with me very, very harshly. It would be regarded as an attack on the commissioner if I brought a grievance against him.”

He said he feared he would lose his job. Those associated with the “rogue unit” were mostly suspended and those still working were under a lot of pressure.

Lackay said he had been instructed to assist Luther Lebelo, executive for employee relations in human resources, without any explanation, and there was still an expectation for him to play a background role and ensure media enquiries were responded to.

He said he drafted most responses and sent them to Lebelo, who was now commenting officially on SARS matters.