Photo by MIKE HUTCHINGS / POOL / AFP)
Photo by MIKE HUTCHINGS / POOL / AFP)
Jacob Zuma has given his consent for Public Protector Advocate Busisiwe Mkhwebane to investigate his private tax records, ending a year-long standoff between the parties.
In an affidavit signed by Zuma earlier this week, he said that Mhkwebane had his “unqualified consent” to review the records after South African Revenue Service (SARS) commissioner Edward Kieswetter was threatened with criminal sanction if he did not hand over Zuma’s tax records as per her subpoena in 2019.
Kieswetter said the Tax Administration Act protected the confidentiality of taxpayer information and prevented him from giving it to her.
Disclosing private tax information prohibited
The standoff between SARS and the Office of the Public Protector boils down to whether or not the former is obligated to hand over private taxpayer’s information based upon receiving a subpoena.
SARS had argued that they would not set a precedent for handing over private information based on this, unless such a private individual was to provide his or her written consent — which Zuma has now done.
In the affidavit, Zuma said that he was signing off on the records being shared to avoid any doubt about his innocence.
“For the avoidance of any doubt, I also state that in writing the tweet, I also intended to give unqualified consent for the use of the relevant information by the public protector or any other organ or institution of state, which would in any event be bound by its own rules regarding confidentiality.”
‘Where’s my affidavit, Jacob?’
The public protector had requested an affidavit from Zuma in November 2019, but due to his alleged ill health, he had declined to provide it. Since he has returned from Cuba, where he was allegedly receiving medical support (as well as quad biking and firing off rifles), he is in good enough health to proceed with her request.
“[The request] coincided with a period in which I was seriously ill and had, inter alia, to travel out of the country to receive medical attention”.
He said that he was “understandably more preoccupied with his health”.
