By Cebelihle Bhengu.
The SA Revenue Service (SARS) has denied claims that a secret meeting took place between President Cyril Ramaphosa and Commissioner Edward Kieswetter to investigate the attendees and sponsors of the EFF gala dinner last week.
SARS responded to accusations made against it by EFF leader Julius Malema during a press briefing on Wednesday.
Malema claimed “reliable” sources informed him that Ramaphosa and Kieswetter met on Monday to discuss investigating the attendees “due to extravagance and flamboyance displayed” during the gala dinner. The party held its event on Sunday.
According to Malema, his source said Ramaphosa wanted SARS to probe whether their tax affairs were up to date and if any of them conducted business with the state.
Malema claimed, without providing evidence, that Kieswetter had already appointed an investigator and scheduled the probe for completion before December.
He said this alleged behaviour amounted to the politicians using the state to settle political scores, and accused Gauteng Premier Panyaza Lesufi of being among those politicians.
“The state is going to punish people for having taken a political choice,” he said.
Malema said the EFF could report this matter to the Public Protector but would not do so “because she is extremely compromised”.
“We will expose these shenanigans until these people are held accountable. We can’t allow the state to be used as if it’s a tool for the ANC,” he said.
On Saturday, Malema accused SARS of hounding him and his family, as recently as three weeks ago, all to “inflict pain on me”.
SARS, in a statement, said while it often ignored claims made in the political arena, it was pressed to respond and reiterate Kieswetter’s position on political interference.
It said Kieswetter stood by his assertion that he would resign should he receive unlawful instructions from politicians.
The Revenue Service said Kieswetter had worked tirelessly to restore SARS, which had been used as a vehicle for state capture-related corruption.
It added that Kieswetter warned employees against colluding with taxpayers, saying this conduct warranted dismissal and was against the law.