Confidence in Moyane is gone

ON Friday it emerged that President Cyril Ramaphosa had brought disciplinary charges against suspended South African Revenue Service commissioner Tom Moyane.

Moyane is accused of violating his duties and responsibilities and ultimately being complicit in what can be described as a rogue organisational culture at SARS.

The 12 charges against Moyane include his decision to pay performance bonuses to the institution’s managers, allegedly without the approval of the finance minister.

He is also accused of “grossly mishandling” a financial intelligence report about suspicious transactions involving Jonas Makwakwa as well as other criminal allegations against his former deputy.

Moyane’s lawyers told the Sunday Times he intended to plead not guilty to all charges.

He also plans to challenge what he believes to be a fundamentally flawed disciplinary process against him.

The matter will, in all likelihood, end up in court.

If and when that happens, the court will decide if Moyane’s rights have indeed been violated, as far as the process against him is concerned.

However, equally important to many South Africans remains the substantive issue that Ramaphosa and many citizens have lost confidence in Moyane’s fitness to lead SARS.

Indeed, the allegations against Moyane must be legally tested.

However, there is a mountain of evidence to reasonably suggest his leadership of the institution has, at best, been poor.

Enough to necessitate a judicial commission of inquiry into SARS as announced last year.

At worst, it suggests his complicity in the erosion of what was previously one of the best revenue collection services in the world.

Either way it may be difficult to justify, legally or morally, why Moyane should be allowed to continue as our number one taxman.