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Pretoria - Finance Minister Pravin Gordhan says after considering the report that led to the resignation of Sars’ commissioner Oupa Magashula, he will make several changes.
Gordhan said in Pretoria among the changes he envisages were:
* Instructing the audit committee of Sars to investigate whether Magashula’s behaviour breached any of Sars’ tax and customs processes;
* Appointing a committee to review Sars’s governance and ethical standards, especially as they pertain to the office of the
commissioner and
* In addition, ask the public to review the code
and recommend improvements.
Further details on the committee to review SARS’ governance and ethical standards as well public participation in the review will be announced shortly.
After accepting Magashula’s resignation, Gordhan said he wanted to re-iterate that Sars was one of the key pillars of South Africa’s fiscal order as well as the country’s democratic dispensation.
“It is critical that those to whom the stewardship of this vital fiscal institution is entrusted conduct themselves, during and after working hours, in a manner that ensures that they are above question," Gordhan said.
The present deputy Sars commissioner, Ivan Pillay, will be acting commissioner until the appointment of a new head of Sars.
Meanwhile two opposition parties have welcomed the resignation of Magashula.
Democratic Alliance MP Tim Harris said: "We appreciate that this could not have been an easy decision and applaud [Finance] Minister [Pravin] Gordhan’s move to ensure that the integrity of the tax authority is protected."
The DA also welcomed Gordhan’s decision to appoint Sars deputy commissioner Ivan Pillay to the position in an acting capacity, but wanted a permanent appointment made as soon as "practically possible".
The Inkatha Freedom Party also welcomed Magashula's decision to quit.
Party spokesperson Narend Singh said: "It's critical that the institutional integrity of Sars is maintained and therefore the resignation of Magashula must be welcomed."
Gordhan said in Pretoria among the changes he envisages were:
* Instructing the audit committee of Sars to investigate whether Magashula’s behaviour breached any of Sars’ tax and customs processes;
* Appointing a committee to review Sars’s governance and ethical standards, especially as they pertain to the office of the
commissioner and
* In addition, ask the public to review the code
and recommend improvements.
Further details on the committee to review SARS’ governance and ethical standards as well public participation in the review will be announced shortly.
After accepting Magashula’s resignation, Gordhan said he wanted to re-iterate that Sars was one of the key pillars of South Africa’s fiscal order as well as the country’s democratic dispensation.
“It is critical that those to whom the stewardship of this vital fiscal institution is entrusted conduct themselves, during and after working hours, in a manner that ensures that they are above question," Gordhan said.
The present deputy Sars commissioner, Ivan Pillay, will be acting commissioner until the appointment of a new head of Sars.
Meanwhile two opposition parties have welcomed the resignation of Magashula.
Democratic Alliance MP Tim Harris said: "We appreciate that this could not have been an easy decision and applaud [Finance] Minister [Pravin] Gordhan’s move to ensure that the integrity of the tax authority is protected."
The DA also welcomed Gordhan’s decision to appoint Sars deputy commissioner Ivan Pillay to the position in an acting capacity, but wanted a permanent appointment made as soon as "practically possible".
The Inkatha Freedom Party also welcomed Magashula's decision to quit.
Party spokesperson Narend Singh said: "It's critical that the institutional integrity of Sars is maintained and therefore the resignation of Magashula must be welcomed."
