So-called SARS ‘rogue’ unit did exist did exist – Mpofu

Parliament has heard that a rogue investigative unit did exist within the South African Revenue Services (Sars) and former deputy commissioner Ivan Pillay benefited fraudulently from its pension fund.

These are the contentions made at Busisiwe Mkhwebane’s impeachment inquiry by her legal representative, Dali Mpofu.

Mpofu insisted that the court judgments were flawed in their findings on these matters. 

Initially, Mkhwebane’s lawyer, Mpofu, questioned the relevance of the Public Protector’s report on Pillay’s early retirement to this inquiry. 

“The retirement matter, as far as I’m concerned, is completely irrelevant to what is happening here,” Mpofu said.

But later tempers flared, as Mpofu insisted that Pillay had swindled the pension fund with the help of then-commissioner, Pravin Gordhan.

‘This was a Ponzi scheme with many members,’ Mpofu said.

‘No, no, again you are just trying to throw your smears around,’ Pillay responded.

Mpofu also alleged that Pillay was the mastermind of an illegal spying unit operating within Sars.