NATIONAL ASSEMBLY
QUESTION FOR WRITTEN REPLY
QUESTION NUMBER 721
DATE OF PUBLICATION: 12 MARCH 2010
Dr D T George (DA) to ask the Minister of Finance:
(1) With reference to the reply of the Deputy President to question
number 3 on 3 March 2010, to which department of the SA Revenue
Service (SARS) should instances of politicians suspected of abusing the
state tender process and/or not complying with their tax obligation be
reported as requested by the Deputy President;
(2) what action will be taken against those who are reported?
NW848E
REPLY:
(1) The South African Revenue Service provides access to all citizens to
report non-compliance to tax and customs legislation. Alleged non-
compliance can be reported directly to SARS via:
(a) A Hotline for Non-Compliance, Corruption and Fraud: 0800 00 28
70; or
(b) A web-based Suspicious Activity Report. This report can be
accessed on SARSâs website at www.sars.gov.za. Click on the link
âReport a Suspicious Activityâ.
All reports of suspicious activity are processed by the risk
management unit.
(2) All Suspicious Activity Reports are:
(a) Reviewed and assessed for case development;
(b) Collated with other information sources;
(c) Prioritised; and
(d) Disseminated to the relevant SARS business areas for corrective
action. Such actions are a continuum which begins with a request
for information and progresses to more intrusive intervention,
only if it is necessary. Each action therefore, is determined by
the response of the taxpayer.
Punitive measures available to SARS to respond to non-compliance
include administrative penalties. In the event of deliberate evasion
SARS will lodge a complaint with the South African Police for criminal
investigation and possible prosecution.