Public Protector slams ‘innuendos’ as it confirms appointment of controversial former SARS official

The office confirmed the appointment in a statement on Wednesday morning.

Lebelo’s new job comes some two years after he was suspended from the South African Revenue Service on recommendation of the Nugent Commission.

He helped former SARS commissioner Tom Moyane to oversee the restructuring of the tax agency.

The commission of inquiry into state capture found that Moyane deliberately sabotaged the agency during the time at which Lebelo was an executive.

But the Public Protector's office says he started his role in December after a successful job interview.

 The position became vacant in October after the passing of the former incumbent. Sibusiso Nyembe.

Spokesperson Oupa Segalwe says he had applied for the position when it was advertised.

"A rigorous vetting process was carried out ahead of offering him the job. This included criminal, qualification and reference checks. It was during that process that the PPSA learned that Mr. Lebelo and the South African Revenue Service parted ways on the basis of a mutual separation agreement, which makes it clear that neither of the parties admitted liability and that the separation did not constitute a dismissal. It has also been publicly reported that SARS paid him R1.2million to leave," says  Segalwe.

 Segalwe maintains there were no adverse findings against him in the Nugent commission.

"Except for commentary and remarks about Mr Lebelo and a recommendation that he be disciplined for an opinion piece carried in the Business Day newspaper in 2016, an issue for which he was disciplined.

“Moreover, there is no mention of his name in the part of the state capture commission report dealing with SARS-related matters. Information of the findings of the two commissions is public. It is therefore unclear why all the innuendos.”

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