SARS inquiry to continue
Suspended SARS Commissioner Tom Moyane’s request to have a commission of inquiry into governance at the revenue service stayed, has been denied.
In a submission made on Friday, advocate Dali Mpofu - acting on behalf of Moyane - objected to the commission of inquiry, saying it was unfair.
He sought various rulings, including that the inquiry be discontinued or stayed pending the outcome of a disciplinary hearing against Moyane - and for the evidence given up to now, to be expunged from the record.
He also took issue with tax expert Professor Michael Katz being on the panel, saying Katz had previously acted on behalf of the President - who set up the commission of inquiry.
Head of the commission, Judge Robert Nugent, says it will continue.
He says none of the rulings sought are competent in law and that on that ground alone, they must all be refused.
“(Mpofu) has impugned the commission on the basis of inferences sought to be drawn from the manner in which it has thus far conducted its inquiry. (Mpofu) is well aware that inferences are properly to be drawn only if they take account of all the facts and it is apparent that (he) is in possession of only few facts indeed,” Nugent says, “The allegations that are made on the basis of half-baked inferences are a disgrace and are rejected”.
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