New Sars unit to target illicit trade
'Render unto Caesar what belongs to Caesar', Mboweni warns tax dodgers
The finance minister has warned those flouting tax laws that they are in the crosshairs of the new illicit economy unit at the SA Revenue Service (Sars). “Render unto Caesar what belongs to Caesar, because Caesar can break your bones,” Tito Mboweni said on Wednesday. This unit was similar to the former high-risk investigations structure at the tax body, controversially dubbed the “rogue unit”. The high-risk unit was dismantled under former Sars commissioner Tom Moyane, who used a 2014 report by advocate Muzi Sikhakhane on the alleged “rogue unit” to purge key officials at the revenue service. Moyane was instrumental in crippling Sars, leading to low tax morale and a large shortfall in revenue collection. The revenue shortfall for the 2018/19 financial year was R42.4bn. Mboweni, during his maiden budget speech on Wednesday, said Sars was being fixed in line with the recommendations from the Nugent commission. The new illicit economy unit was launched in August 2018 and was focused on...
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