Moyane persists with Sars rogue unit claims

FORMER SA African Revenue Service (Sars) commissioner Tom Moyane insists there was a so-called rogue unit operating within the tax authority – despite findings by the high court and other investigations discounting such accusations.

Moyane, who is giving evidence at the Commission of Inquiry into State Capture, told Deputy Chief Justice Raymond Zondo on Wednesday that members of the so-called rogue unit approached him with a detailed confession on how they spied on high-ranking people.

“Two of them submitted that there was a criminal path from which only death could save them. The confession was elaborate and detailed on how they bugged, intercepted, listened and video recorded activities of the National Prosecuting Authority office, leaders of the SAPS and Scorpions in Pretoria in a project code-named ‘Sunday Evening’,” Moyane said.

He alleged that these colleagues operated under the instruction of former Sars deputy commissioner Ivan Pillay, “to collaborate with the conspiracy leaders leading the operation”. Moyane said R1 million was used for the operation.

Shockingly, Moyane also revealed to the commission that he did not personally read the 2018 report compiled by Judge Robert Nugent that found him unfit for office.

Evidence leader advocate Alistair Franklin questioned Moyane about the findings of the Nugent Commission into Sars, but Moyane said that he did not read the final report, despite being the Sars commissioner at that time.

“Are you saying to this commission that as you sit here in 2021, you have not read the full and final report compiled by the Nugent Commission in 2018?” Franklin asked.

Zondo further probed Moyane’s admission.

“I assumed you were intending to take the report on review or that you were, yourself, reviewing the report when you asked to cross-examine Gordhan,” Zondo said.

But, Monyane said that when the report was finalised, he consulted with his counsel, who gave him a summary of the report.

“I, myself, as Tom Moyane have not read the report,” Moyane told Zondo.

– Political Bureau