SARS fails to probe ‘suspicious’ deposits
More damaging revelations reveal Jonas Makwakwa’s account was not directly investigated as Hogan Lovells given ‘limited scope’
As South African Revenue Service (SARS) commissioner Tom Moyane braces for an inquiry into the administration of the tax agency, further damaging revelations emerged on the investigation into its second-in-charge, Jonas Makwakwa. Hogan Lovells has placed on record that it did not directly investigate the R1.3m in suspicious deposits into Makwakwa’s account and that of his partner, Kelly-Ann Elskie, who is also a SARS employee. Despite the company’s "limited scope" for the investigation and its failure to directly probe the claims for which Makwakwa was suspended in 2016, he returned to work on November 1. SARS said he had been cleared of all charges after facing an internal disciplinary process. The tax agency is under increasing pressure, with a R50bn deficit in revenue collection, which the Treasury said could be attributed to the "economic cycle", weakening tax morality and also "challenges facing tax administration". Makwakwa is SARS chief director for business and individual ta...
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