Fire Moyane immediately – judge
President Cyril Ramaphosa must fire suspended Sars commissioner Tom Moyane immediately – regardless of the outcome of his disciplinary inquiry.
This is the recommendation made by judge Robert Nugent in his interim report submitted to Ramaphosa as hearings by the commission continue this week.
The report‚ seen by TimesLIVE‚ noted that Ramaphosa must give Moyane the boot and appoint a new commissioner as a first step to solving the problems plaguing Sars.
“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.
Nugent said it was important that the commission made the recommendation to fire Moyane now, and not wait for the final report to be made public. He is expected to wrap up his work by December.
“We are aware that disciplinary proceedings are pending against Mr Moyane but we consider that to be irrelevant to our recommendation.
“Our concern is not disciplinary transgression but instead the management of Sars.”
He said it was imperative that a new commissioner be appointed “to remove the uncertainty of Sars and enable it to be set on a firm course of recovery so as to arrest ongoing loss of revenue”.
“To inspire confidence in a new commissioner of Sars the commission further recommends that he or she be appointed through an open and transparent process that is subject to critical appraisal‚ but without compromising the urgency of the appointment.”
In his report to Ramaphosa‚ the judge went for the jugular, saying “the day Mr Moyane took office was a calamity for Sars”.
Nugent said: “Almost immediately‚ and then continuously for the next 18 months‚ Sars was thrown into turmoil, with tragic consequences for the lives of many people‚ tragic consequences for the reputation of Sars and tragic consequences for the country at large.”
‘The day Mr Moyane took office was a calamity for Sars’ Robert Nugent
JUDGE
The report lambasted Moyane‚ saying his personal interests and ambitions were holding the proper functioning of Sars hostage.
Moyane further faced the wrath of Nugent for not being present during hearings and not responding to the accusations made against him.
Ramaphosa’s spokesperson, Khusela Diko, confirmed that the president had received the report.