The ANC in the Western Cape on Thursday said it would be calling its regional secretary for the Southern Cape, Major Sokopo, to explain his alleged involvement in defrauding SARS of over R16 million.
Sokopo, 42 and Ndileka Mfunda, 49, were arrested in September and appeared in the George Magistrate’s Court on Tuesday this week. They were facing charges “relating to unclaimed Input VAT [value-added tax] claims by several Western Cape municipalities, for the period 2009 to 2011,” according to the Hawks.
The ANC in the Western Cape said while it noted the seriousness of the charges against Sokopo, it had not yet spoken to him about them.
“The African National Congress stands firm against criminal activities, regardless of the political affiliation of the perpetrators,” the party said in a statement.
“We understand that he denies the charges which relate to his private business. We respect the judicial process and comrade Sokopo’s right to be presumed innocent at this stage. We will obtain further information and re-assess our position if necessary.”
Sokopo’s arrest follows an investigation into his tax consultant company which was contracted by the Oudtshoorn, Plettenberg Bay and Ventersdorp municipalities to help recover unclaimed input vat.
“Investigations laid bare the fact that, the said entity was somehow allegedly inflating their VAT assessment figures as it stood to benefit directly,” the Hawks said shortly after the arrests were made.
“Claims were somehow allegedly repeatedly submitted, even on items already claimed in previous periods, or claimed on items which are prohibited by the VAT Act, resulting in the Receiver of Revenue suffering losses to the tune of approximately R16 million.”
South Africa Today – South Africa News
