Former SARS deputy commissioner Ivan Pillay’s early retirement on full pension and instant re-employment was arguably not criminal, but it did amount to a devious scamming of state funds  and flouted strict rules for state employees.

Nico Coetzee, a senior operational specialist in the Human Resources division of the SA Revenue Service, woke early on 9 October 2009 with something on his mind. At 5.57am he sent an email to recently appointed SARS Commissioner Oupa Magashula expressing his misgivings over deputy commissioner Ivan Pillay’s application for early retirement “to provide for his children’s education”. And on top of that, after his retirement Pillay wanted immediate reappointment to his job.

DOCUMENTATION

 1. Nico Coetzee, SARS HR statement to Hawks, 14 September 2016.

 2. Nico Coetzee, emails to Commissioner Oupa Magashula, 8 and 9 October 2009.

 3. Nico Coetzee, internal memo to Yolande van der Merwe authorising payment of R1,141,178 to GEPF, 5 July 2012.

 4. Susanna Visser, SARS HR, statement to Hawks, 10 August 2016.

 5. Vlok Symington, SARS legal division, memo to Commissioner Pravin Gordhan, 17 March 2009.

 6. Vlok Symington, Affidavit dated 20 October 2016 to the Nugent Commission..

 7. Ivan Pillay, undated pre-May 2009 internal memo to Commissioner Pravin Gordhan.

 8. Ivan Pillay, internal memo to Commissioner Oupa Magashula, 27 November 2009.

 9. Marco Granelli, former chief of Staff in Commissioner Magashula's office, sworn statement to Hawks, 2016.

10. Commissioner Oupa Magashula's emails with Kenny Govender, deputy Director-General, department of Public Service and Administration, July/August 2010.

11. Commissioner Oupa Magashula's request to Finance Minister Pravin Gordhan for approval of Ivan Pillay's early retirement, 12 August 2010.

12. Extract from Pravin Gordhan's statement to the Hawks re Ivan Pillay's early retirement (paras 15 and 16), 23 August 2016.

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