More to testify at Sars inquiry
This week all eyes will be on newly appointed finance minister Tito Mboweni as he delivers his maiden mediumterm budget policy statement.
The speech, to be presented in parliament on Wednesday, is expected to highlight key priorities and reveal the size of the government’s spending and allocations. On Sunday it was reported that Mboweni warned that the government could run out of money for basic services due to the public sector wage bill. He is likely to propose solutions to the bulging bill.
On Tuesday the National Assembly and National Council of Provinces will debate the collapse of VBS Mutual Bank.
The commission of inquiry into tax administration and governance at the SA Revenue Service (Sars) will continue on Monday. Several testimonies so far have exposed how governance crumbled at the institution during suspended commissioner Tom Moyane’s reign. On Monday, the commission will hear testimony from acting chief officer for business and individual tax Fabian Murray, who recently warned that Sars might not be able to collect about 40% of outstanding money from taxpayers.
Sars group executive for employment relations Luther Lebelo is also expected to testify. Considered a Moyane loyalist, Lebelo acted as chief officer for human capital and development and was moved to his current position in July.
Neville Willemse and Michael Lithgow from international advisory firm Gartner will appear at the commission on Tuesday. The role of Gartner and global consultancy Bain & Co at Sars, hailed by Moyane in 2015 as a move to revitalise the tax agency, has so far been revealed at the commission to be sinister and possibly illegal.
Back in parliament, the constitutional review committee on land will hear oral presentations from various interested parties who made written submissions on the possible review and amendment to section 25 of the Constitution.
The portfolio committee on energy will continue its public hearings into the long-awaited draft Integrated Resource Plan, which envisages the energy mix in 2030 will be half coal power, with gas and wind the next most important contributors.