Mkhwebane to fight Sars' attempt to block access to Zuma's tax records

Public protector Busisiwe Mkhwebane will oppose an application brought by Sars to block her from obtaining former president Jacob Zuma’s tax information.

The Constitutional Court has dismissed the EFF and Busisiwe Mkhwebane's application for leave to appeal a high court order that granted relief to Pravin Gordhan in the matter in which Gordhan approved  Ivan Pillay's early retirement.
The Constitutional Court has dismissed the EFF and Busisiwe Mkhwebane's application for leave to appeal a high court order that granted relief to Pravin Gordhan in the matter in which Gordhan approved Ivan Pillay's early retirement. (MIKE HUTCHINGS)

Public protector Busisiwe Mkhwebane has indicated that she will oppose an application brought by the South African Revenue Service (Sars) to block her from obtaining former president Jacob Zuma’s tax information.

SowetanLIVE's sister publication Business Day reported on Monday that Sars boss Edward Kieswetter has asked the high court in Pretoria for an urgent stay against the implementation of an October 21 subpoena issued by Mkhwebane to obtain Zuma’s taxpayer information.

Mkhwebane is seeking this information in connection with a November 2017 complaint laid by then DA leader Mmusi Maimane about payments Zuma allegedly received from a security company in the first months of his presidency.

Public protector spokesperson Oupa Segalwe said on Monday afternoon that Mkhwebane would oppose the application.

"She filed a notice to do so. The answering affidavit will be filed soon," said Segalwe.