A South African Revenue Service (SARS) official has been arrested in Welkom for corruption.
The employee was apparently working in collusion with a local accountant, who acted as a middle man, in a bid to extort money from a taxpayer.
The taxpayer alerted SARS. SARS involved the SA Police Service and together set up a trap to record the exchange of money between the taxpayer on the one hand, and the accountant and the SARS employee on the other.
The payment was made at the accountant's business premises. The police arrested the accountant immediately after he and the SARS employee were found in possession of the money.
SARS has suspended the said employee with immediate effect.
The two appeared in court today.
The arrest sends a clear message that corruption will never be tolerated.
SARS remains committed to the principles of utmost integrity, honesty and fairness.
ISSUED BY THE COMMISSIONER FOR THE SOUTH AFRICAN REVENUE SERVICE
PRETORIA