Emalahleni (Witbank) – Former Transnet employee 44-year-old Jordan Shakoane accused of using e-filing to defraud the South African Revenue Service (SARS) of R960 000, has been released on R1 500 bail.
Shakoane, who allegedly colluded with a SARS tax consultant, appeared in the Witbank Magistrate’s Court in Emalahleni on Wednesday.
The fraud was allegedly committed in 2017 when Shakoane was employed by Transnet.
The accused allegedly colluded with the SARS employee to recruit people, including his colleagues at Transnet to submit fraudulent tax return claims to the revenue service.
The case of contravention of the Tax Administration Act, Act 28, Section 35 (1) against the suspect and his seven co-accused was postponed and referred to be heard at the Middleburg Specialised Commercial Crime Court in Middleburg on 29 August 2023.
Hawks Mpumalanga spokesperson Captain Dineo Sekgotodi said Shakoane will be appearing alongside his co-accused at the commercial crimes court.
She said their probe revealed that Shakoane in return benefitted by receiving money from the SARS consultant.
“It is alleged that the accused was an intermediary who recruited runners as well as co-workers and lured them to commit fraud tax,” said Captain Sekgotodi.
“The recruits were promised tax refunds if their tax returns were submitted through e-filling by a tax consultant.”
She said the other suspects in the same case appeared in court in December last year.
“SARS was defrauded of R960 000 in the process,” said Captain Sekgotodi.
“The tax consultant allegedly submitted fraudulent claims and false information which generated tax refunds on behalf of the recruited taxpayers.”
