SA REVENUE SERVICE Putting up a fight

Senior SA Revenue Service (Sars) officials will continue fighting to clear their names in the midst of what looks like a purge by newly appointed commissioner Tom Moyane.

This is according to sources close to Sars employees who have been suspended from the institution over links to an alleged covert unit.

The tax agency has already defended its action against senior officials twice in the Labour Court. In December it reached a settlement with executive in charge of strategy and risk Peter Richer to lift his suspension, giving him time to explain why action should not be taken against him.

Also in December, the labour court ruled that Sars’ suspension of its deputy commissioner Ivan Pillay was unlawful.

Since then Richer has again been suspended and Pillay must submit reasons why he should not be suspended by January 19.

This follows the resignation of chief operations officer Barry Hore. Moyane dissolved his eight-member executive structure soon after taking office. Head of modernisation and strategy Jerome Frey has also resigned and the executive in charge of anticorruption and security, Clifford Collings, is to face a disciplinary hearing for failing to provide Moyane with an official car on time. Pillay’s adviser, Yolisa Pikie, was also suspended in December for malicious damage to property

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