New SARS Commissioner in online interview and discussion
Edward Kieswetter: Interview with a Tax Commissioner
Edward Kieswetter, Commissioner of the SA Revenue Service since May 2019
CPLO
The CPLO invitation gave a concise background which aptly described the mammoth task the new Commissioner is facing:
"Edward Kieswetter took over as SARS Commissioner in May 2019, inheriting a tax authority that had been severely undermined and weakened as part of the state capture project. He has had to lead the effort to restore SARS’ once proud reputation for efficiency and professionalism, while at the same time meeting the need to maximise revenue collection in a declining economy."
SARS commissioner Edward Kieswetter during the interview
CPLO; CPLO
In the interview and during the following discussion, Edward Kieswetter gave an informative overview of the institutional challenges and the turnaround project he has been engaging in with his team.
He also provided insights in the structure and tasks of SARS, at the same time referring to the difficult macro-economic situation the country is facing.
Naturally, with a growing deficit and increasing debts, an efficient revenue service is crucial for the efforts to capacitate the state, in order to allow for better service delivery the country and its people so urgently need.