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The National Education Health and Allied Union (Nehawu) has written a letter to Judge Robert Nugent, who is heading a commission of inquiry into SARS, asking to make a submission on issues of governance at the tax service.
In a letter dated July 9, the trade union says it wants to be given a chance to set the record straight, following what it termed "half-truths and untruths" in the presentations by suspended commissioner Tom Moyane and Minister of Public Enterprises Pravin Gordhan two weeks ago.
Some of the issues that the union wants to raise include issues of governance relating to allegations of fraud, transformation before and during Moyane’s tenure, and facts about employees alleged to have been purged from the tax collection service.
It says its submission would be based of the views of "ordinary people on the ground".
"It should be noted that Nehawu has been very instrumental in dealing [with] and/or raising corrupt activities at SARS, and evidence will be presented in the commission," said the letter, signed by the union’s National Coordinator, Sibusiso Valashiya.
Nehawu says it believes its submission will "assist the commission in uncovering the truth for the period under review, but not limited to it."
The Nugent Commission, appointed by President Cyril Ramaphosa, is investigating the functioning and corporate governance of the tax agency in the wake of repeated revenue shortfalls, delays in VAT refunds, and allegations of mismanagement and corruption among top staff.
The commission is also tasked with investigating how and why a number of employees left SARS since 2014, and whether any employees were "coerced in any manner into resigning".
Moyane, who is also facing a disciplinary hearing following his suspension from SARS, had sought to halt the inquiry.
His legal team has asked that the process be put on hold or "disestablished", pending his upcoming disciplinary hearing.
Judge Nugent criticised the submissions by Moyane’s team as being littered with "abuse, invective and sinister suggestion".
On Monday, Moyane's lawyer, Eric Mabuza, told journalists that the suspended tax boss was ready to return to his job once his name was cleared.
"If Moyane is found not guilty, it will be the logical thing for him to return to SARS… He must then go back to his job and serve the nation," said Mabuza.
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