Gordhan slams KPMG over Sars spy unit report

Pretoria - Finance Minister Pravin Gordhan has slammed auditing firm KPMG over a leaked report by the auditing firm that appears to confirm allegations regarding a rogue spy unit within the SA Revenue Services (Sars).

"It's allegations that have no foundation. They are based on a leaked document that even I haven't seen," he said.

"How would you like to be accused of something on the basis of a document that has not been put to you or... questions that have not been put to you, on the basis of no opportunity having been put to you to say what the facts of the matter are? One I thing I would like to request from you is to stop reporting on rumours."

The unit was accused of running a brothel and spying on President Jacob Zuma, among other things.

"Where is this mysterious report? KPMG has a cheek to say he [Gordhan] doesn’t know anything but he should know. I thought forensic people are supposed to come up with facts. What does that say about the reputation of KPMG?" Gordhan asked.

Deputy minister Mcebisi Jonas said the document being referred to was still a draft and that there was no final report.

"There is a process of responding to all the issues they have raised. That process is going on and until that process is finalised and signed off by the client, which is Sars and Treasury, we can't have a final report.

"The report as we understand it, was designed to look at the institutional capability of Sars and to pick up on the problem areas and make propositions. That is what will be reflected in the report but, unfortunately, we have not reached that stage of the report," he said.

This article first appeared on News24 – see here.