SARS ‘Rogue Unit’ Existed, But It was Lawful and Necessary To Combat Illicit Trade, Says Pravin Gordhan

PUBLIC Enterprises Minister Pravin Gordhan has admitted for the first time that there was a unit within the South African Revenue Services to investigate illegal activities, including cigarette smuggling and illicit trade.

During a heated cross-examination at the State Capture Commission of Inquiry, former SARS commissioner Tom Moyane’s legal counsel Advocate Dali Mpofu insisted that the establishment of the ‘rogue unit’ was illegal, but Gordhan vehemently denied this, saying there was a lot of illegal activities at the time that needed to be dealt with by the revenue services.  

Mpofu told the commission that the establishment of the unit was a contravention of the National Strategic Intelligence Act of 1994, a fact he said was also supported by the Sikhakhane Report, and the Public Protector’s findings.

But Gordhan retorted, saying the Sikhakhane report was dismissed by the Nugent Commission.

He further said that various reports handed to Moyane dismissed