South African President Cyril Ramaphosa lauded the South African Revenue Service (SARS) as the “engine room of the South African state” during an oversight visit to the SARS National Command Centre in Brooklyn, Pretoria on Thursday.
He underscored SARS’s pivotal role in sustaining South Africa’s democratic institutions and funding essential public services through tax revenue collection. Ramaphosa highlighted SARS’s contribution to economic growth, infrastructure development and inclusive service delivery, noting its success in raising public trust and enhancing investor confidence.
He also pointed to significant milestones, including strong value‑added tax and corporate income tax receipts that contributed to the country’s sovereign credit rating upgrade, and SARS’s involvement in South Africa’s removal from the Financial Action Task Force grey list.
Acknowledging challenges from the state‑capture era, the President commended SARS for implementing reforms and embracing technological modernisation to strengthen compliance and governance.
He affirmed the institution’s essential role in combating illicit economic activity and supporting national priorities such as job creation, poverty reduction and sustainable growth.