Sars investigators ‘in smear campaign’
A CLAMPDOWN by the taxman on the tobacco industry in recent months has resulted in a backlash which has seen SA Revenue (Sars) investigators become the target of spies, double agents, dirty tricks and the leaking of false allegations in order to discredit them.
Sars yesterday revealed this haze of shady dealings their employees were being forced to work under in response to rumours that their group executive in charge of enforcement, Johann van Loggenberg, had resigned due to corruption allegations. Sars spokesman Adrian Lackay denied any Sars official had resigned and said Van Loggenberg’s unit was crucial in combating illegal practices within the tobacco industry.
“There are people who have a vested interest in creating confusion among state institutions.
“Sars is in no doubt that they are behind these allegations, as they have been in the past,” Lackay said.
He indicated that the accusation against their officials began in earnest after a letter was sent to the tobacco industry in November last year indicating that the taxman would be clamping down on non-compliance in the industry and that they were aware of the means used to avoid prosecution.
A second letter was sent in March and was copied to Lieutenant-General Vineshkumar Moonoo and the head of the Hawks, Lieutenant-General Anwa Dramat, giving further examples of the way the law was being broken and the spying and allegations against Sars officials.
The letters, under the project name Honey Badger, were sent to the Tobacco Institute of Southern Africa and the Fair Trade Independent Tobacco Association, who represent the majority of stakeholders in the tobacco industry.
The letter explains that in 2012 Sars began looking into high-risk areas where compliance was not where it should be – and the tobacco industry fell into this category.
The letter indicates there are more than 15 criminal cases that have been registered with the police, with more coming.
Francois van der Merwe, chairman of the Tobacco Institute of Southern Africa), said: “We fully support the audits and scrutiny of the industry.”