Johannesburg - People who are trying to do good work, such as SA Revenue Services deputy commissioner Ivan Pillay, are running into difficulties, former intelligence minister Ronnie Kasrils said on Thursday.
“People who are trying to do a job, who won't simply abide by an instruction from on high, from the president.. and ministers... will certainly get into difficulties,” he told reports in Johannesburg.
“I think it is quite clear that this is an expression of a disease increasing in the body politics of the state...”
Kasrils said he knew Pillay very well and believed he was “absolutely so clearly incorruptible”.
“It's a reflection of the tensions within...”
The same went for the suspension of Hawks boss Anwa Dramat.
On December 5, Pillay and Sars's strategic planning and risk group executive Peter Richer were suspended for the first time amid allegations of a special projects unit engaging in illegal activities in Sars.
Pillay's suspension was overturned by the Labour Court in Johannesburg. However, earlier this month he was served with a second notice of suspension.
On Wednesday, the dispute between Sars and Pillay was settled but he remain suspended. The dispute was with regard to the suspension on December 5 was “amicably resolved” through conciliation at the Commission for Conciliation, Mediation and Arbitration.
On December 23, Dramat was suspended, apparently pending a probe into his alleged involvement in the illegal rendition of four Zimbabweans in November 2010.
Last week, the High Court in Pretoria overturned his suspension. Police Minister Nathi Nhleko is appealing the court's decision.
Sapa