NATIONAL NEWS - Two former Sars officials who thought they could escape the long arm of the law by resigning from the revenue service, have learned the hard way that although you can run, you cannot always hide - especially not from the taxman.
Even the notorious Chicago gangster, Al Capone, who evaded arrest for seven years, eventually ended up behind bars - not for murder or extortion, but for tax evasion!
The Gauteng Division of the High Court in Pretoria granted Sars a preservation order against the two former employees, who had resigned from the organisation in 2024 and 2025, respectively.
Sars presented evidence before the court of non-compliance with the relevant tax laws by the officials, including corruption, money laundering, unauthorised work outside Sars, breach of the Sars secrecy provisions and abuse of state properties in furtherance of corruption.
The court appointed a curator to preserve assets and prevent their disappearance while tax assessments are being finalised.
The preservation order places under curatorship three immovable properties worth millions, six vehicles and multiple bank and investment accounts held across major financial institutions, to prevent their disappearance.
In a statement issued by Sars, Acting Sars Commissioner Dr Johnstone Makhubu said corruption within the institution would be dealt with swiftly through the most severe measures permitted by law.
"Corruption by Sars employees, whether former or present, is the worst form of betrayal. It undermines public trust, damages the integrity of our systems, and strikes at the heart of the state’s ability to serve its people.
"The days when employees engage in criminality and opt to resign rather than face the consequences of their wrongdoing are over.
"Those who think that this method will exculpate them from the consequences of their actions, must know that they’ll be pursued and will be found wherever they are,” Makhubu said.
Sars’s Illicit Economy Strategy targets corruption and fraud in government departments as high-priority focus areas.
Apart from the assets identified by Sars, the curator has been authorised by the High Court to inquire into and locate further assets that may have been concealed or placed beyond the reach of Sars by the two officials.
The properties, estimated to be worth several million rand in total, may not be sold or transferred without authorisation, thus securing high-value assets pending the finalisation of tax assessments.
The curator has been granted immediate powers to secure, control, manage and, where authorised, dispose of the assets to recover taxes due.
‘We bring you the latest Garden Route, Hessequa, Karoo news’
