As the South African Revenue Service (SARS) intensifies its efforts to clampdown on tax fraud and non-compliance, police have pounced on two suspects for swindling the revenue collector.

In the first case, Anwar Gaffor on Monday appeared before the Palm Ridge Specialised Commercial Crime Court following his arrest for tax returns fraud.

Hawks spokesperson Captain Lloyd Ramovha said: “It is alleged that Gaffor submitted various fraudulent tax returns to the South African Revenue Service, which resulted in the receiver of revenue potentially losing R1 million in 2020.

“The timeous intervention by the internal auditors ensured that the actual loss amounted to R300 000.”

Gaffor was granted R1 000 bail and the case was postponed to 13 October, pending further investigation.

In the second matter, Adelle Fritz, a former senior accountant, also appeared in the same court facing charges of fraud and theft allegedly committed in 2015.

Ramovha said Fritz stands accused of fraudulently approving credit facilities for a company called Siyakhula Electrical for an amount of R500 000.

“Following an intensive investigation, Fritz was arrested on a warrant of arrest. The case has been postponed to 29 September for additional implicated suspects to be accounted for,” he said.

Source: South African Government News Agency