Don't make SARS issue personal, Gordhan tells MPs

Finance Minister Pravin Gordhan told MPs not to personalise the engagements National Treasury has with the SARS about the tax system and its administrative capabilities. ‘It’s not between Gordhan and (Tom) Moyane (SARS Commissioner). He is the head of a fiscal institution and my job is to see if he’s doing what he’s supposed to do. SARS is the revenue administrator and it must do its work in a manner to support government’s fiscal objectives. I’m only doing my job and hopefully they’ll begin to do their jobs as well,’ he said, according to a Fin24 report. Gordhan and a delegation from National Treasury, including Deputy Finance Minister Mcebisi Jonas and DG Lungisa Fuzile, briefed MPs of Parliament’s Finance Committees on the 2017 Budget Review – a day after Gordhan delivered his Budget speech. Asked by an MP if government is concerned about tax avoidance, Gordhan responded that an effective tax administration should be able to detect tax avoidance practices. At a media briefing on Wednesday ahead of his Budget Speech, Gordhan expressed concern over revenue collection, which was more than R30bn short of the target stipulated in the 2016 budget – the largest deficit in eight years. Gordhan’s utterances were made amid rumours of a standoff between him and Moyane.