Ex-Sars IT head Makhekhe-Mokhuane gets R1.8m payout

Then-IT head at Sars, Mmamathe Makhekhe-Mokhuane during an interview on Morning Live in October 2018. Screengrab from Youtube

Then-IT head at Sars, Mmamathe Makhekhe-Mokhuane during an interview on Morning Live in October 2018. Screengrab from Youtube

Published Oct 21, 2019

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The South African Revenue Service (Sars) has reportedly paid out settlements to some of its former staff members who were this year placed on suspension.

 

News24

reports that former IT head Mmamathe Makhekhe-Mokhuane and group executive of employee relations Luther Lebelo were paid out R1.6 million and R1.25 million respectively. 

The settlements were equal to six months salaries and were part of an agreement with the revenue service, the site reported.

Makhekhe-Mokhuane and Lebelo were placed on suspension in July this year along with other executives including Hlengani Mathebula (chief officer for governance, internal relations, strategy and communications) and Teboho Mokoena (chief officer for human capital and development). 

Their services were terminated earlier this month and, in a statement released at the time, Sars said it would not proceed with further actions against Makhekhe-Mokhuane and Lebelo in pursuance of allegations against them respectively and wished them well in their future endeavours. 

News24 also reports that Mokoena and Mathebula were also awarded settlements.

 

When Sars undertook the suspensions it said that they were part of its strategy to review its leadership in response to the findings released by the Nugent commission.

The commission was headed by retired Judge Robert Nugent and was aimed at investigating governance matters at Sars. 

Last October an interview with Makhekhe-Mokhuane on SABC's Morning Live television show on the collapse of the revenue collector's e-filing system went viral after she was unable to provide coherent answers to some of the most basic questions put to her. 

She subsequently apologised for her for her "conduct, posture, and demeanour" both during the interview and while testifying at the Nugent commission.

"My conduct, posture, and demeanour during both the Morning Live interview and Nugent Commission may have given an impression of arrogance, nonchalance, and unprofessionalism, and brought my competence and expertise into question," she said.

"This is unfortunate and regrettable. For this, I take full responsibility. I apologise to everyone who was disappointed or offended by how I handled both situations. There is no excuse or justification for this."

Political Bureau

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