An interesting analysis by Daily Maverick on Friday showed how the appearance of Sars commissioner Tom Moyane peppered some of the country's most controversial deals. Most notably, in 2011, he chaired the adjudication committee that chose Cash Paymaster Services for the Sassa tender. That decision was later declared unlawful.
The site has referred to Moyane as "a quiet kingpin" in President Jacob Zuma's "tight band of protectors". It said he was a "key figure linked to some of the most breathtaking events" that happened during Zuma's leadership.
We round up five of Moyane's most intriguing appearances. Read the full analysis on Moyane's on the site here.
1.The social grants tender.
Moyane chaired the adjudication committee which would ultimately award CPS the R10 billion tender to distribute social grants. Daily Maverick pointed out that, according to an amaBhungane report, a Treasury official and a member of the adjudication committee, Wiseman Mathebula, who reportedly raised serious concerns about CPS' BEE component. Moyane dismissed these as "really not serious questions".
- The Waterkloof Gupta plane landing.
When it emerged that the Guptas had landed a private plane full of wedding guests at the Waterkloof military airforce base in 2013, Moyane reportedly sat on the investigative panel which cleared virtually all those involved except a few officials, of wrongdoing. The Gupta family, Daily Maverick notes, were not among those investigated.
- The bogus "Rogue Unit" allegations
Daily Maverick points out that it was Moyane who laid charges against Finance Minister Pravin Gordhan, relating to allegations that he was involved in a "rogue unit" which allegedly operated during his time at Sars. The investigation against Gordhan appears to have yielded no evidence against him.
- Irregular deposits and Moyane's Number 2
The analysis then lists a case in which Moyane's deputy, Jonas Makwakwa, was probed because amounts totalling R1.1 million were deposited into his personal account. The Financial Intelligence Centre reportedly told Moyane about this, but "sat on the report". Moyane also reportedly shared this with Makwakwa.
- The tax collection contract
It has also emerged that Moyane's nephew, Nhlamulo Ndhlela was a shareholder of a company which won a R220 million tax collection tender with Sars. Sars later claimed it did not know of this conflict of interest and the tender award was reportedly cancelled.