Axed Sars boss ConCourt bid ‘moot’

President Cyril Ramaphosa has said the Constitutional Court case brought by Tom Moyane is now ‘‘moot”, since he already fired him as SA Revenue Service (Sars) commissioner in a bid to restore faith in the revenue service and prevent further catastrophe for the embattled South African economy.

“If the problems facing Sars are not addressed as a matter of urgency, there is a real risk of a further revenue shortfall in the current financial year, which would likely result in a further ratings downgrading, by international rating agencies, for the country,” Ramaphosa said.

‘‘This would have potentially catastrophic consequences for SA’s fiscal sustainability and must accordingly be avoided at all costs,” the president stated in an affidavit to the Constitutional Court on Friday.

Moyane is challenging the hearing into his fitness to hold office, and the commission of inquiry into Sars.

The president fired Moyane on Thursday, following the recommendations of retired judge Robert Nugent, who headed the inquiry.

Moyane maintains that the Nugent inquiry was a “witch hunt” against him.

Ramaphosa, in turn, criticised Moyane for making “argumentative, inflammatory and ultimately irrelevant” allegations against himself, public enterprises minister Pravin Gordhan and multiple other officials involved in those hearings.