By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
SA Receive of Revenue (SARS) Commissioner Edward Kieswetter today announced the appointment of three Deputy Commissioners to strengthen his executive team.
This follows an extensive executive search which resulted in the appointment of one internal candidate and two from private sector.
Johnstone Makhubu has been named deputy commissioner for taxpayer engagement and operations, Carl Scholtz for enterprise strategy, enablement and modernisation, and Bridgitte Backman for corporate and enterprise services. Makhubu is currently SARS’s chief revenue officer.
“As the second line of command to the commissioner, the deputy commissioners will complement our leadership bench and ensure that there is greater focus in the distinct areas assigned to them and step up our bias for action,” said Kieswetter in a statement.
Kieswetter noted that the appointment of deputies was also one of the recommendations of the Nugent Commission of Inquiry.
In his 2018 report, retired Judge Robert Nugent recommended that deputies be appointed to ease the workload of the commissioner and provide “continuity and the preservation of institutional knowledge”.
“The deputy commissioners will provide valuable support to build on the work we commenced four years ago in the rebuilding program,” added Kieswetter.
Kieswetter welcomes the three Deputy Commissioners to SARS and looks forward to working with them in realising SARS’s strategic vision of building a smart, modern SARS with unquestionable integrity, which is trusted and admired and, which embeds voluntary tax and customs compliance.