SARS must ensure that tax is paid on Zuma legal fees donations

13 November 2018

The Democratic Alliance (DA) will write to Mark Kingon, Acting Commissioner of the South African Revenue Service (SARS), to request that SARS ensure that donations tax be collected on all donations made towards the legal fees of former president Jacob Zuma.

According to media reports, a group of Zuma supporters have pledged to pay his R10 million cost order after the North Gauteng High Court dismissed his leave to appeal last week.

Millions in legal costs were incurred during Zuma’s fruitless attempts to have former Public Protector Thuli Madonsela’s State of Capture report reviewed and to set aside her remedial action, notably the establishment of a judicial commission of inquiry into State Capture.

The court’s decision was a victory for vulnerable South Africans who have been suffering poor service delivery precisely as public funds were being diverted to pay for legal fees incurred by Zuma in his self-serving attempts to sanitize his leading role in the State Capture project.

It would be a miscarriage of justice if Zuma’s personal cost order is financed, much like his lifestyle, by a band of sympathizers. It would be even worse if these individuals avoid their tax obligations, too.

Zuma’s ruinous presidency has cost South Africa too much already.

Issued by Alf Lees, DA Shadow Deputy Minister of Finance, 13 November 2018