Pretoria. February 1 2001 - South African Revenue Service today announced that it had uncovered a fraud/corruption ring involving its employees and other individual role players.
SARS Commissioner Pravin Gordhan said the ongoing investigations showed there was collusion between SARS employees and retailers, importers, sections of accounting firms, lawyers, money launderers as well as clearing agents.
The investigations were ongoing and had to date resulted in a number of arrests. The latest arrest of a SARS official in connection with fraud and corruption charges was effected today.
"Today's arrest shows the determination with which we are fighting corruption and fraud within our midst. This is embodies in our anti-evasion campaign. We cannot allow corrupt employees to besmirch the good work that the majority of our staff are doing to make our organisation efficient and effective," Gordhan said.
The anti-evasion campaign has the following pillars:
Gordhan added that the evidence, which had been obtained during the recent raids by a joint SARS-Scorpion team on premises of certain SARS officials, was being analysed and criminal charges would be finalised soon
ISSUED BY THE COMMISSIONER FOR THE SOUTH AFRICAN REVENUE SERVICE
PRETORIA