Outgoing South African Revenue Service (SARS) Commissioner Edward Kieswetter says building trust within the revenue collector, modernising the tax system and driving compliance among taxpayers have been efforts at the heart of rebuilding the institution to its former glory.
As he reflected on his seven-year tenure at the helm of the organisation, Kieswetter said the success of SARS’ operational strategy is evidenced by the country improved revenue figures.
In 2026, the tax collector exceeded R2 trillion ($119 879 billion) in revenue for the first time ever in its history.
Speaking to SABC News in Pretoria, Gauteng province Kieswetter said while the institution’s performance improved, it is yet to reach optimal performance due to being underfunded.
“SARS is still structurally underfunded and so the funds that Treasury made available was a project based funding, not all of that is in our base. So, that plea and arm wrestle with the Finance Minister and Treasury will continue, because until we address the structural underfunding of SARS and treat SARS like an investment centre as opposed to a cost centre, we are always going to be under performing.”
–SABC–
