Panel tasked with choosing the next Sars commissioner asks for more candidates

President Cyril Ramaphosa during Sars oversight visit. Picture: X/PresidencyZA The search for the next South African Revenue Services (Sars) Commissioner has taken an unexpected turn, with the selection panel asking for more candidates beyond the initial applicant pool. This is according to Minister of Finance Enoch Godongwana.

He was addressing the media during an oversight visit at the tax agency headquarters with President Cyril Ramaphosa on Thursday. They have conducted interviews but asked the National Treasury to provide more names, including those of headhunted prospects. Despite the panel asking for more candidates, Godongwana said it is very possible that a new commissioner will be appointed by end of the month.

“When the panel looked at the interviews of 19 people, they thought that one person was outstanding,” he said. “They proposed further headhunting to me so that the interview process should be balanced. We think that by the end of February we will have a new commissioner.” Sars has three deputy commissioners, each responsible for a certain department.

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The duties are Johnstone Makhubu, for Taxpayer Engagement and Operations; Carl Scholtz, for Enterprise Strategy and Modernisation; and Bridgitte Backman, for Corporate and Enterprise Services. The Citizenreached out to Treasury to confirm if any of the deputies are considered for the position. Comment will be added once received.

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