The Directorate of Priority Crimes Investigation (Hawks) said yesterday that investigators had sent questions to obtain “clarity” from Finance Minister Pravin Gordhan as he was the man at the helm of an entity under scrutiny.
“We can confirm that as the Hawks we are investigating a case concerning the alleged illegal operations by a so-called ‘rogue unit’ within the South African Revenue Services (SARS)‚ not Gordhan per se‚” the office of the national directorate said in a statement.
“Gordhan was the commissioner at SARS at the time when the covert unit was allegedly established. As part of our thorough investigations into the operations of the said unit we needed some clarity and Gordhan‚ who was the man at the helm of SARS at that time‚ was the suitable man to talk to‚ hence we sent him a set of questions for him to answer.”
Gordhan has defended the unit and said it had accomplished several successes.
In a statement last week Gordhan confirmed that he had received a set of questions from the Hawks regarding his role in setting up a SARS unit that allegedly spied on people.
He asserted the investigation was meant to intimidate and distract him from the work that he had to do as finance minister.
The National Research Group (NRG) that was established in SARS during his time as commissioner was legally constituted and approved at ministerial level‚ he said.
This also applied to subsequent investigative units.
“It has done commendable work in disrupting activities in the illicit economy and raising revenue from high risk sectors of the economy‚” Gordhan said.
“Its finances were approved transparently in the normal way of SARS budgeting processes and was audited by the Auditor-General every year. SARS ensured at all times that the NRG functioned within SARS legal and policy framework and within the laws of our country.”
Gordhan said in assisting other law-enforcement agencies in combating crime‚ among others‚ the following successes were recorded between 2007 and 2013:
Tobacco seizures of more than R2-billion;
Drug seizures of more than R5-million;
Recovered outstanding customs duties of more than R500-million;
Assisted in raising tax assessments of more than R200-million against defaulting taxpayers; and
Assisted with the preservation of assets of more than R100-million.
“In due course‚ the truth will indeed prevail‚” he pronounced.
Hawks want Gordhan to provide clarity on SARS ‘rogue unit’ work
“We can confirm that as the Hawks we are investigating a case concerning the alleged illegal operations by a so-called ‘rogue unit’ within the South African Revenue Services (SARS)‚ not Gordhan per se‚” the office of the national directorate said in a statement.
“Gordhan was the commissioner at SARS at the time when the covert unit was allegedly established. As part of our thorough investigations into the operations of the said unit we needed some clarity and Gordhan‚ who was the man at the helm of SARS at that time‚ was the suitable man to talk to‚ hence we sent him a set of questions for him to answer.”
Gordhan has defended the unit and said it had accomplished several successes.
In a statement last week Gordhan confirmed that he had received a set of questions from the Hawks regarding his role in setting up a SARS unit that allegedly spied on people.
He asserted the investigation was meant to intimidate and distract him from the work that he had to do as finance minister.
The National Research Group (NRG) that was established in SARS during his time as commissioner was legally constituted and approved at ministerial level‚ he said.
This also applied to subsequent investigative units.
“It has done commendable work in disrupting activities in the illicit economy and raising revenue from high risk sectors of the economy‚” Gordhan said.
“Its finances were approved transparently in the normal way of SARS budgeting processes and was audited by the Auditor-General every year. SARS ensured at all times that the NRG functioned within SARS legal and policy framework and within the laws of our country.”
Gordhan said in assisting other law-enforcement agencies in combating crime‚ among others‚ the following successes were recorded between 2007 and 2013:
Tobacco seizures of more than R2-billion;
Drug seizures of more than R5-million;
Recovered outstanding customs duties of more than R500-million;
Assisted in raising tax assessments of more than R200-million against defaulting taxpayers; and
Assisted with the preservation of assets of more than R100-million.
“In due course‚ the truth will indeed prevail‚” he pronounced.
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