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Johannesburg - New tax chief Tom Moyane is driving a brand-new, luxury 4x4 because it seems the taxman often needs to maneuver rough terrain, sister publication Beeld reported on Wednesday.
Beeld newspaper, part of Netwerk24, has confidentially learned that Moyane, in the firing line over an exodus of senior tax officials from the South African Revenue Service (Sars), recently refused an Audi A4 after he originally had requested a less luxurious official car.
Moyane now drives a government-sponsored Audi Q5, which at about R600 000 costs R200 000 more than the A4.
Moyane's office confirmed on Tuesday that he is driving a 4x4, and said it was because Sars had to investigate smuggling across border lines and that several tax officials are working at border posts.
“The Commissioner’s vehicles would need the capacity to deal with rough terrain beyond mere gravel roads,” a Sars spokesperson said.
Moyane recently accused Clifford Collings, head of Sars’ anti-corruption unit, of late delivery of Moyane’s official vehicle.
The unit has since been disbanded and Collings in now in control of the taxman's warehouses.
Five sources at Sars have confirmed the course of events on the purchase of the new Audis to Beeld.
Sars has previously had two A4s and a Q5 in which members of the executive committee were transported to official events.
According to Beeld's sources Minister of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs Pravin Gordhan used his private vehicle when he was the Sars commissioner.
This practice changed when Oupa Magashula took over from Gordhan in 2009.
Sars in September decided to replace the three cars with the same models.
After his arrival at Sars, Moyane apparently said he did not want a “fancy” vehicle.
During his term as commissioner of correctional services, he had a BMW 530D as official vehicle which cost the state R590 000.
Due to administrative difficulties, the two new Audi A4s and the Q5 arrived a few days later than what Collings told Moyane.
According to Beeld's sources Moyane was also unhappy about having to drive an A4 because “it was just an A4" and he said he will use the Q5 because as Sars head he will often have to drive on gravel roads.
A Sars spokesperson denied Moyane refused to drive an A4.
“He was provided a Q5 by Mr Collings, as a replacement of the previous Commissioner’s car.”
Meanwhile, it came to light that Barry Hore, former chief of operations at Sars who resigned last month, was charged with racism over a coffee incident.
Earlier this year, Hore apparently asked a junior colleague during a meeting to make coffee for the director general of home affairs.
The colleague laid a charge of racism against Hore. According to Sars employees cannot lay charges against other employees, but employees may lodge grievances against other employees if they are unhappy about any matter.
The issue was later ironed out at a management meeting, but in a second fight with new HR head Elizabeth Kumalo months later the coffee incident was again brought up.
This was after Kumalo refused to use a new operation system which Hore’s team developed.
Kumalo's objection apparently was that she was not consulted about the implementation of the system.
Moyane, who is a confidant of Kumalo, has meanwhile agreed to abolish this well-functioning and expensive system.
Kumalo also threatened to have all Hore's previous projects investigated due to possible corruption.
"A fierce battle ensued, and both of them left work early that day.
"Moyane took Kumalo's side and ordered that no new information technology projects may be implemented unless he approves it in person," a source said.
Four days later Hore submitted his resignation.
In the same week Kumalo instituted the racism charge against Hore, who is still a Sars employee until December 31.
According to a Sars spokesperson there are no records that Hore's system has ever been approved.
* For this article and more news in Afrikaans visit netwerk24.
