SARS not being used as a political tool - Kieswetter

CAPE TOWN - South African Revenue Service (SARS) Commissioner Edward Kieswetter said the revenue service was not being used as a political tool and there's no targeting of any individual regarding their tax affairs. 

This after the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF)'s Omphile Maotwe alleged in Parliament on Tuesday that the party’s leader, Julius Malema, was targeted in the past. 

Kieswetter was before the Standing Committee on Finance on Tuesday, reporting on SARS' biggest-ever revenue haul for the past financial year of more than R1.74 trillion.

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Following the state capture years, Kieswetter said he believed the revenue service was now well-insulated from political interference. 

"Well certainly, I can say without fear of conviction, that we are independent, we are really disconnected from the political narrative and I've previously said I would sooner resign, than take an instruction from any political party or any political office bearer."

But the EFF's Maotwe questioned whether SARS was being used as political weapon. 

The party’s leader, Malema, has in the past fallen foul of the revenue service for the non-payment of taxes. 

But Kieswetter dismissed her suggestion of political targeting. 

"Our risk profiling and our case selection methodology is ideology-free. It works only on data science and evidence, and if you happen to be caught in the crossfires, regardless of who you are, what your station in life is, you will come into our space."

To strengthen its independence, SARS said ideally it would like to see it being funded as a separate entity, rather than as an extension of the Treasury.