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Cape Town - The South African Revenue Service (Sars) has investigated seven cases of alleged bribery of customs officials at international airports between April 2009 and February 2010, Minister of Finance Pravin Gordhan said on Tuesday.
Replying to a question in parliament, Gordhan said that of these seven cases, five are still active investigations.
One is in a disciplinary stage (the customs official accused is currently suspended) and another one has been finalised (the customs official was dismissed).
Gordhan told MPs that the dedicated Sars Anti-Corruption and Security Unit (Acsas) investigates all bribery and corruption allegations.
They use "traditional investigative practices" including collecting statements from witnesses and camera footage, as well as sting operations.
"Preventive and detection measures include the use of cameras and physical security surveillance, and ensuring that all customs operations are conducted in accordance with strict rules and standard operating procedures," said Gordhan.
He added that procedures are constantly reassessed to identify controls which require enhancement.
- Fin24.com
