Ramaphosa fires Tom Moyane as Sars commissioner

The presidency has confirmed that formerly suspended SA Revenue Service (Sars) commissioner Tom Moyane has been fired.

He was served with a termination of service letter on Thursday afternoon.

President Cyril Ramaphosa last month was “applying his mind” to Judge Robert Nugent’s recommendation he should immediately sack Moyane.

This was contained in Nugent’s interim report on September 30 as required by the terms of reference set by Ramaphosa in May, when he set the wheels in motion for the Commission of Inquiry into Tax Administration and Governance at Sars.

Moyane was given an opportunity to give reasons why the recommendations should not be implemented – reasons which Ramaphosa has now rejected.

Moyane did not testify at the commission, citing “inherent bias” and “gross unfairness” in a document Nugent called a disgrace and “littered with abuse, invective, and sinister suggestion”.

“What is clear to the Commission is that SARS reeks of intrigue, fear, distrust and suspicion. We have heard of it repeatedly in evidence, and we have encountered it ourselves,” Nugent wrote.

The recommendation went on to say Moyane’s dismissal should happen “regardless of what the outcome of his disciplinary inquiry is”, and Ramaphosa should appoint a new commissioner.

“We stress that the replacement of Mr Moyane is not a panacea‚ but only the first necessary measure without which there is no possibility of rectifying the damage that has been done to Sars‚ and any further recommendations will be fruitless,” the report read.

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