South African Revenue Service (Sars) deputy commissioner Ngobani Johnstone Makhubu has been appointed the successor to Edward Kieswetter when he leaves at the end of the month.
President Cyril Ramaphosa announced the five-year appointment of Makhubu from May 1 on Thursday.
Makhubu, who is well-regarded, was unanimously chosen by a special panel convened by finance minister Enoch Godongwana to recommend candidates.
Makhubu has held the position of deputy commissioner: taxpayer engagement and operations since 2023.
“The incoming commissioner is a seasoned public and private sector executive with more than 17 years of senior leadership experience spanning tax administration, commercial, finance and operations management.
“He has worked in complex, regulated and large-scale organisations across multiple industries including fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG), mining, power generation and public revenue services,” the Presidency said.
“Makhubu has worked on the formulation of the Sars strategic direction since 2020 and has actively worked to implement the Vision 2024 strategy together with [Kieswetter]. The implementation of Vision 2024 achieved revenue collections with a compounded annual growth rate of 7.6%, while voluntary compliance increased by 3.4 percentage points.”
We are confident that Dr Makhubu is an optimal choice for taking the country forward. His appointment is universally welcomed within Sars and across the tax profession.
— Prof Keith Engel, South African Institute of Taxation CEO
Ramaphosa expressed his appreciation and high regard for Kieswetter’s “incisive and innovative leadership that has positioned Sars as a critical enabler of fiscal stability, social delivery, trade facilitation and the enablement of domestic and foreign investment”.
He said the change in the leadership of Sars demonstrated sound succession planning, though critics have condemned the length of time it took to find a successor to Kieswetter, leaving little time for a smooth handover.
The Treasury said Godongwana welcomed the appointment, saying the process began last year.
“An independent selection panel, chaired by former minister of finance Nhlanhla Nene, undertook a shortlisting, interviewing and assessment process,” the Treasury said, which resulted in a recommendation to the president.
“The appointment comes at a unique and challenging juncture in South Africa’s economic landscape, with the fiscal discipline and steady reforms of the past few years beginning to yield the stability needed for faster growth and investment amid global uncertainty and shocks,” it said.
Kieswetter said in a statement Ramaphosa “could not have tasked a more eminently qualified individual to take over. Dr Makhubu has comprehensive knowledge of Sars and has been intimately involved in developments at Sars.
“There is no doubt in my mind that this elevation is well earned.
“I have personally worked with the commissioner-designate and can confidently say that he will deliver on the important assignment of helping to build a capable state to advance the wellbeing of all South Africans by collecting all revenue due to the state.”
ActionSA MP Alan Beesley welcomed the fact that a candidate was chosen from within Sars to ensure continuity, protect institutional knowledge and sustain the reform momentum achieved in recent years.
South African Institute of Taxation CEO professor Keith Engel said the institute fully supported Makhubu’s appointment as the next commissioner.
“We are confident that Dr Makhubu is an optimal choice for taking the country forward,” Engel said.
“His appointment is universally welcomed within Sars and across the tax profession.
“Dr Makhubu is a seasoned public and private-sector executive with more than 17 years of senior leadership experience spanning tax administration, finance and organisational management.
“His professional background spans multiple industries and operational perspectives, making him well-suited to lead one of South Africa’s most complex and important public institutions.”
Engel said Makhubu was well known to the tax community through his regular engagement with professional bodies and stakeholders. — Business Day
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