The Public Protector is a law-abiding citizen who pays her taxes just like everybody else, advocate Busisiwe Mkhwebane’s office said on Sunday, following reports that the SA Revenue Service had launched an investigation into her income tax affairs dating back as far as nine years.

“She has absolutely nothing to hide and she will be cooperating fully with investigators from SARS,” her spokesperson Oupa Segalwe told News24.

IOL reported that SARS had ordered Mkhwebane to hand over copies of, among others, financial information, employment income, foreign income, business income, expenses, deductions and other income.

SARS reportedly in a letter requested bank statements for all local and foreign accounts, copies of a statement of assets and liabilities, a fixed assets register, a detailed breakdown of vested shares and incentive scheme, and copies of short and long-term insurance contracts, among others, within 21 days.

According to the report, the revenue service also asked for, among others, copies of payslips, employment contracts, IRP5 certificates and investment income certificates for the period under audit.

SARS spokesperson Sandile Memela said they were not in a position to comment on the matter.

“In terms of the confidentiality clause, Section 69 of the Tax Admin Act 2011 SARS does not share or divulge confidential information on taxpayers affairs. “This would include investigations into taxpayers and traders.”

Segalwe on Sunday said the public protector was “concerned about the turn of events”.

“She is of the firm view that this is but one example of concerted efforts meant to instill fear in her and intimidate her. She strongly believes this is linked to some of the investigations that she has pursued in the past and those that are currently underway which have seemingly not gone down well with certain sections of society,” he said.

“However, she is not going to stop doing her work. She will continue acting without fear, favour or prejudice as part of her constitutional mandate to investigate and hold those who have been fingered in wrongdoing to account.”

National Assembly Speaker Thandi Modise on Friday approved a motion to initiate proceedings for Mkhwebane’s removal.

This after the DA put in such a request, with an accompanying substantive motion, to Modise on December 6, three days after the National Assembly adopted rules for the removal of a head of a Chapter 9 institution.

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