Pretoria – President Cyril Ramaphosa has appointed Dr. Ngobani Johnstone Makhubu as Commissioner of the South African Revenue Service for a period of five years with effect from 1 May 2026.
President Ramaphosa has made this appointment onThursday, 2 April 2026, in terms of section 6 of the South African Revenue Service Act of 1997, following a unanimous recommendation by a selection panel convened by Minister of Finance Enoch Godongwana.
Dr. Makhubu, who has held the position of Deputy Commissioner: Taxpayer Engagement & Operations since 2023, succeeds Commissioner Edward Kieswetter, whose two-year contract ends on 30 April 2026.
“The incoming Commissioner is a seasoned public and private sector executive with more than 17 years of senior leadership experience spanning tax administration, commercial, finance, and operations management,” stated the Presidency.
“He has worked in complex, regulated and large-scale organisations across multiple industries, including fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG), mining, power generation and public revenue services.”
Dr. Makhubu has worked on the formulation of the SARS strategic direction since 2020 and has actively worked to implement the Vision 2024 strategy together with the current Commissioner.
The implementation of Vision 2024 achieved revenue collections with a compounded annual growth rate of 7.6% while voluntary compliance increased by 3.4 percentage points.
“President Ramaphosa congratulates Dr. Makhubu on his appointment to lead the revenue service as the institution that provides the financial resources necessary for the government to function, fund infrastructure, and pay for social services,” said his spokesperson, Vincent Magwenya.
“President Ramaphosa has also expressed his appreciation and high regard for Commissioner Kieswetter’s incisive and innovative leadership that has positioned SARS as a critical enabler of fiscal stability, social delivery, trade facilitation, and the enablement of domestic and foreign investment.
“President Ramaphosa says the change in the leadership of SARS shows how sound succession planning contributes to the capability of the state.”
Commenting on the matter, Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana said he welcomes the appointment of Dr. Makhubu as the new Commissioner of SARS.
“I wish Dr. Makhubu all the best. The National Treasury and I look forward to working with him to build on the solid foundation left by the outgoing commissioner, Mr Edward Kieswetter,” said Minister Godongwana.
The appointment is effective from 1 May 2026, for a period of five years.
Minister Godongwana revealed that the appointment process began in 2025 and was designed with careful consideration of the recommendations of the Nugent Commission of Inquiry into Tax Administration and Governance by SARS.
An independent selection panel, chaired by former Finance Minister Nhlanhla Nene, undertook a shortlisting, interviewing, and assessment process, culminating in a report submitted to the President recommending Dr. Makhubu for the position.
The appointment comes at a unique and challenging juncture in South Africa’s economic landscape, with the fiscal discipline and steady reforms of the past few years beginning to yield the stability needed for faster growth and investment amid global uncertainty and shocks.
Dr. Makhubu brings more than two decades of knowledge and experience to the role, having worked at SARS since 2016, first as its Chief Procurement Officer, then as Chief Finance Officer between 2018 and 2020, and as Chief Revenue Officer up until 2023, when he was appointed Deputy Commissioner for Taxpayer Engagement and Operations.
Dr. Makhubu holds the following qualifications:
- A Bachelor of Science degree (Electrical Engineering) from the University of KwaZulu-Natal;
- A Bachelor of Commerce degree from the University of South Africa (Unisa);
- A Master’s degree in Business Leadership (Unisa); and
- A PhD in Leadership from the University of Pretoria.
