By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
South African Revenue Service (SARS) commissioner Edward Kieswetter will remain as the head of the tax agency beyond April 30 when his term expires.
Kieswetter’s five-year contract expires at the end of April.
He indicated last year that he wasn’t open to serving another term.
However, The Presidency’s spokesperson Vincent Magwenya said his term would be extended to allow for a smooth transition for the new commissioner.
In March 2019, president Cyril Ramaphosa appointed Kieswetter for a five-year term that started on May 1 2019.
Kieswetter had a daunting task, given the need to rebuild the institution after the destructive reign of former commissioner Tom Moyane, which culminated in a R142-billion hole in revenue collection over the previous years. The need to restore Sars capacity was critical to stabilise government finances.
The process to appoint the commissioner was based on recommendations by the commission of inquiry into administration and governance at Sars headed by retired Supreme Court Judge Robert Nugent.