Tom Moyane
{{Short description|South African development economist}}
{{Use South African English|date=April 2020}}{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2020}}
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| caption = Former SARS Commissioner Tom Moyane at the Zondo Commission in March 2019
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| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1953|01|31}}
| birth_place = Soweto, Johannesburg
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| occupation = Economist
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Thomas Moyane (born 31 January 1953) is a South African development economist and former commissioner of the South African Revenue Service (SARS).{{citation needed|date=April 2019}}
Early life and career
Moyane was born in 1953 in Soweto, a township outside Johannesburg.{{Cite web |last=Pauw |first=Jacques |date=20 March 2018 |title=Jacques Pauw looks into Moyane's back story, and why Zuma appointed him as SARS head |url=https://www.news24.com/life/books/jacques-pauw-looks-into-moyanes-back-story-and-why-zuma-appointed-him-as-sars-head-20180320 |access-date=2024-06-16 |website=News24 |language=en-US}} His father was a Mozambican immigrant who worked on the mines. After finishing high school, Moyane worked as a clerk before moving to Turfloop to attend the University of the North on a bursary. He returned to Soweto in June 1976, when the university was closed amid the Soweto uprising; he was detained and tortured by apartheid police in the ensuing state crackdown, and soon afterwards he went into exile in Mozambique. He joined the African National Congress (ANC), where he was known by the nom de guerre Tommy Ndhlela, Ndhlela being his mother's maiden name.
During his exile he worked for government departments in Mozambique and Guinea-Bissau.{{Cite news |title=Jacob Zuma appoints Thomas Moyane as Sars commissioner |url=https://www.news24.com/Archives/City-Press/Jacob-Zuma-appoints-Thomas-Moyane-as-Sars-commissioner-20150429 |access-date=2017-11-18 |work=News24}}{{Cite web |title=Tom Moyane |url=http://www.sars.gov.za/About/PeopleSARS/Exco/Pages/T_Moyane.aspx |access-date=2017-11-18 |website=www.sars.gov.za |language=en-us}} After obtaining a BSc in Economics from the Eduardo Mondlane University in Mozambique, he served as national commissioner of the Department of Correctional Services and chief executive of the Government Printing Works.{{Cite news|url=https://www.iol.co.za/business-report/economy/moyane-takes-over-the-hot-seat-at-sars-1755608|title=Moyane takes over the hot seat at Sars {{!}} IOL Business Report|access-date=2017-11-18|language=en}} He had also been an advisor to the State Information Technology Agency.{{Cite web|url=http://www.politicsweb.co.za/subscribe/jacob-zuma-appoints-tom-moyane-new-sars-commission|title=Jacob Zuma appoints Tom Moyane new SARS commissioner - The Presidency - Subscribe {{!}} Politicsweb|website=www.politicsweb.co.za|language=en|access-date=2017-11-18}}
SARS Commissioner
Moyane was appointed chief tax collector in September 2014.{{Cite news|url=https://www.iol.co.za/business-report/economy/zuma-appoints-new-sars-boss-1755153|title=Zuma appoints new Sars boss {{!}} IOL Business Report|access-date=2017-11-18|language=en}} During his tenure, Moyane had been heavily criticised for his financial management of SARS{{Cite web|url=https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2017-10-27-scorpio-tom-moyanes-payment-of-exco-bonuses-grounds-for-dismissal-or-suspension/#.Wg_ryBP-mvM|title=SCORPIO: Tom Moyane’s payment of Exco bonuses ‘grounds for dismissal or suspension’ {{!}} Daily Maverick|website=www.dailymaverick.co.za|language=en|access-date=2017-11-18}} and his treatment of a controversial investigation that saw the departure of 55 senior staff and managers from the organisation.{{Cite news|url=http://www.huffingtonpost.co.za/2017/09/18/tom-moyane-and-the-disembowelling-of-sars_a_23213398/|title=Tom Moyane And The Disemboweling Of SARS|date=2017-09-18|work=Huffington Post South Africa|access-date=2017-11-18|language=en-ZA}} The 2017 book The President's Keepers claimed that Moyane's predecessor had begged South African President Jacob Zuma to submit tax returns before Zuma appointed Moyane, and described Moyane as a crony of Zuma.{{Cite news|url=https://www.timeslive.co.za/politics/2017-10-30-former-sars-deputy-commissioner-begged-zuma-to-submit-tax-returns-author/|title=‘Former SARS deputy commissioner begged Zuma to submit tax returns’: author|access-date=2017-11-18|language=en-US}} SARS rejected the allegations in the book, threatened to sue its author{{Cite news|url=https://www.iol.co.za/business-report/sars-denies-commissioner-moyane-helped-zuma-avoid-paying-tax-11842006|title=Sars denies Commissioner Moyane helped Zuma avoid paying tax {{!}} IOL Business Report|access-date=2017-11-18|language=en}} and lay criminal charges on the disclosure of confidential taxpayer information.{{Cite news|url=https://www.timeslive.co.za/politics/2017-11-03-the-presidents-keepers-sars-to-consider-laying-charges-over-expos/|title='The President's Keepers': SARS to consider laying charges over exposé|access-date=2017-11-18|language=en-US}}
These allegations and investigations led to his suspension on 19 March 2018 by South Africa's president Cyril Ramaphosa, who cited a need to "restore the credibility of SARS without delay" after Moyane's leadership compromised the organisational and financial position of SARS.{{Cite web|url=https://www.fin24.com/Economy/sars-boss-tom-moyane-suspended-20180320|title=SA Revenue Service boss Tom Moyane suspended|date=2018-03-20|website=Fin24|access-date=2019-04-09}} The suspension was enacted after Moyane had refused to step down voluntarily.{{Cite web|url=https://www.timeslive.co.za/news/south-africa/2018-03-19-moyane-rejects-request-by-ramaphosa-to-resign/|title=Moyane rejects request by Ramaphosa to resign|website=TimesLIVE|language=en-ZA|access-date=2019-04-09}} He was eventually fired on 1 November 2018 by President Cyril Ramaphosa on the recommendation of the SARS commission of inquiry's chair, retired judge Robert Nugent.{{Cite news|url=https://www.businesslive.co.za/bd/national/2018-11-01-exclusive-cyril-ramaphosa-fires-embattled-sars-boss-tom-moyane/|title=EXCLUSIVE: Cyril Ramaphosa fires embattled Sars boss Tom Moyane|access-date=2018-11-01|language=en-US}}
After his firing Moyane launched a "marathon" legal battle to get his job back.{{Cite web|url=https://www.businesslive.co.za/bd/national/2018-12-20-tom-moyane-heads-back-to-the-constitutional-court/|title=Tom Moyane heads back to the Constitutional Court|website=www.businesslive.co.za|language=en|access-date=2019-01-07}} After the North Gauteng High court on 11 December upheld his dismissal, the Constitutional Court dismissed Moyane's plea on 4 February as well, arguing that it "bears no reasonable prospect for success".{{Cite web|url=https://www.fin24.com/Economy/concourt-dismisses-moyanes-application-for-leave-to-appeal-20190212|title=ConCourt dismisses Moyane's application for leave to appeal|date=2019-02-12|website=Fin24|access-date=2019-04-09}}
On January 4, 2022, Part 1 of the Zondo Commission Report on state capture was published. The report recommended that Moyane be charged with perjury for lying and providing false information to parliament in relation to his activities at SARS.{{Cite web|last=Savides|first=Matthew|date=5 January 2022|title=Zuma, Moyane played ‘critical role’ in dismantling Sars, Zondo report finds|url=https://www.businesslive.co.za/bd/national/2022-01-04-zuma-moyane-played-critical-role-in-dismantling-sars-zondo-report-finds/|access-date=2022-01-05|website=BusinessLIVE|language=en}}
References
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Category:20th-century South African economists
Category:21st-century South African economists
Category:Eduardo Mondlane University alumni
Category:South African civil servants