Suspended SARS boss Moyane ‘Zuma’s worst appointment ever’

Suspended SA Revenue Service commissioner Tom Moyane racked up a dubious list of “achievements” as head of the nation’s tax collection authority‚ says investigative journalist Jacques Pauw. At the top of that list were his efforts to halt an investigation into the tax affairs of former president Jacob Zuma. Moyane was suspended with immediate effect on Monday after refusing to step down when asked to by President Cyril Ramaphosa. Pauw‚ who revealed sensational allegations about Zuma’s tax affairs in his book, The President’s Keepers‚ compiled a list of Moyane’s “achievements” while in office. Moyane had‚ he alleged in a post on Facebook:

• Stopped the tax investigation into Jacob Zuma;
• Stopped the tax investigation into Edward Zuma;
• Stopped the tax investigation into Khulubuse Zuma;
• Stopped the tax and money laundering investigation into the Guptas;
• Disbanded all five investigations units at SARS‚ leaving the service toothless;
• Driven a host of dedicated and skilled civil servants from SARS;
• Failed to collect at least R1-billion in taxes from a Chinese criminal;

• Failed to collect R288-million in taxes from a Cape gangster;
• Failed to collect R600-million in taxes from a smuggler;
• Overseen SARS recording a R50-billion shortfall in the last tax year;
• Failed to investigate his No 2 Jonas Makwakwa for alleged money laundering;
• Laid criminal charges against me (Pauw) for revealing his dirty linen in The President’s Keepers and brought a high court application against me; and
• Has gone a long way in breaking South Africa’s most crucial public institution.

Pauw alleged Moyane was corrupt‚ had no tax knowledge and was arguably Zuma’s worst appointment ever. The Presidency‚ in reaction to claims in the book about Zuma having failed to submit tax returns for his first four years in office‚ said he was tax compliant. “The tax matters of the president are in order‚” it said. Ramaphosa said in a sharply worded letter informing Moyane about his suspension on Monday: “You have failed in your role as an accounting officer for SARS. “As a result‚ SARS has been fundamentally jeopardised and has lost the confidence of taxpayers.” Moyane said in a letter to Ramaphosa he would challenge his removal in court, as “it was glaring that you have already made a decision to dismiss me”.