Makwakwa resigns with immediate effect

Wednesday, March 14, 2018

The South African Revenue Service (SARS) on Wednesday announced the immediate resignation of its Chief Officer Jonas Makwakwa.

At a media briefing at the SARS offices in Tshwane, SARS Commissioner Tom Moyane announced Makwakwa’s resignation.

“I wish to announce that Mr Jonas Mashudu Makwakwa has resigned this morning from his employment with the SARS as the Chief Officer: Business and Individual Taxes (BAIT). Mr Makwakwa’s resignation is effective immediately as of 14 March 2018 at 11am,” said Moyane.

The Commissioner said the former Chief Officer has resigned for personal reasons.

“In his letter of resignation, Mr Makwakwa has indicated that he is resigning for personal reasons. He regards this as being an opportune moment for him to exit SARS after being cleared of all the allegations of misconduct through a formal disciplinary hearing, and after making the investigation report into allegations of impropriety against him, and his personal tax information available to Parliament for scrutiny and for public accountability,” he said.

News of Makwakwa’s resignation follows the an announcement made by the revenue service on Tuesday that it would submit reports related to the disciplinary action of Makwakwa to Parliament’s Standing Committee on Finance on Friday.

“SARS has pledged to submit the Hogan Lovells Report and the Advocate Terry Motau Disciplinary Hearing Report to the Standing Committee on Finance on Friday, 16 March. This was after Mr Makwakwa wrote a letter to Commissioner [Moyane] authorising him to submit the said report,” said the revenue service in its statement on Tuesday.

Makwakwa had been in the employ of SARS for the past 22 years.

“As a result, I thank him for his loyal service and wish him well for all his future endeavours,” said Moyane of Makwakwa, who returned to the revenue service in November 2017 after having charges against him cleared.

He had been placed on suspension for approximately a year following the Financial Intelligence Centre (FIC) report to SARS containing some serious allegations against Makwakwa.

With regards to the provision of reports to Parliament, Moyane said these will still be made available to the Committee.

“A decision has been made to make Makwakwa’s tax records available to Parliament under conditions agreed between SARS and the Standing Committee on Finance. Mr Makwakwa’s tax records will be submitted together with the Investigation Report by Hogan Lovells and incorporating the Report by PWC. The said Report will be submitted on or before 16 March 2018,” said Moyane. - SAnews.gov.za