SARS re-establishes large business unit

International Tax Review is part of Legal Benchmarking Limited, 1-2 Paris Garden, London, SE1 8ND

Copyright © Legal Benchmarking Limited and its affiliated companies 2026

Accessibility | Terms of Use | Privacy Policy | Modern Slavery Statement

SARS re-establishes large business unit

firms_thumbnail

The South African Revenue Service is set to re-establish the large business unit and illicit economy team as part of an overhaul of the tax authority.

SARS Acting Commissioner Mark Kingon has set out to re-establish the large business unit to deliver services to large companies more efficiently and effectively. Hlengani Mathebula, chief officer for governance, is overseeing the process of building an experienced multidisciplinary team.

At the same time, Mogola Mokola, chief enforcement officer, will oversee the relaunch of the illicit economy team. As illicit financial flows cost South Africa an estimated $122 billion from 2003 to 2012, tackling illicit trade is crucial for fighting corruption in the country.

These decisions come just after SARS appointed Johnstone Makhubu as its chief officer of finance. Makhubu served as acting chief officer for a year, during which time he managed the finance division, including procurement and corporate real estate.

more across site & shared bottom lb ros

More from across our site

The profession is fundamentally restructuring itself around what tax and accounting work should be, a Thomson Reuters leader told ITR
The big four firm is consolidating 16 entities across the region to create a single 6,000-partner behemoth
Brazil’s tax reform unifies consumption taxes to simplify rules, centralise administration and reduce legal uncertainty
The ever-expansive firm has once again attracted a former ‘big four’ talent to lead the new offering
The amended double taxation avoidance agreement removes France’s most favoured nation status for tax treaty benefits
The levies extended beyond the president’s ‘legitimate reach’, the Supreme Court ruled
While Brazil’s consumption tax overhaul led to a short-term spike in tax advisory demand, we are now in a period of ‘normalisation’ marked by decreased recruitment
The expanded firm will comprise roughly 8,500 employees, including 550 partners; in other news, Paul Hastings and Macfarlanes made senior tax hires
Meanwhile, one expert highlights the importance of separating Venezuela’s tax authority from direct political control after ‘lost decades and isolation’
With PMK 108, Indonesia has upgraded its tax transparency regime for the digital era, focusing on data quality, governance, and cross border exchange rather than expanding regulatory reach
Gift this article