The 'Onslaught' On Sars Is Bad For Tax Compliance, Says Moyane

The Sars commissioner says reports that Sars has lost technical competency are a self-fulfilling prophecy.
The Cape Town headquarters of the South African Revenue Service (SARS) is seen in this picture taken March 1, 2016.
The Cape Town headquarters of the South African Revenue Service (SARS) is seen in this picture taken March 1, 2016.
Mike Hutchings / Reuters

South African Revenue Service (Sars) commissioner Tom Moyane has warned that a lack of confidence in the tax agency could negatively affect the 22016/17 tax targets. According to Business Day, Moyane told members of Parliament's standing committee on finance that "unwarranted and unsubstantiated" attacks on Sars would be bad for tax compliance, and bad for the economy.

An inaccurate picture of Sars was being portrayed in the media -- one of an institution that was falling apart, the paper reported he said.

The drop in confidence in Sars is clearly noticeable," Moyane told Parliament.

Moyane has been at the centre of the negative press around Sars.

Most recently, he and Finance Minister Pravin Gordhan have reportedly been at loggerheads over Sars' revenue collection deficit. Moyane asked Zuma to intervene in the situation, as the tension between the two men had deteriorated. Gordhan said intervention was not necessary.

But according to Business Day, Moyane told Parliament that there had been an "onslaught" on the integrity of Sars.

"This tale of Sars having lost all of its technical competence will play itself out as a self-fulfilling prophecy as many of our staff are highly marketable and will not tolerate their reputations being impugned in this manner," he reportedly said.

According to the paper, Moyane did not want to answer a question from Democratic Alliance Member of Parliament David Maynier on the problems between himself and Gordhan. But Moyane reportedly said he was appointed by President Jacob Zuma and "the reporting lines are clear".

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