The Minister of Finance, Mr Enoch Godongwana has in terms of section 14 of the Tax Administration Act, of 2011, appointed Ms Yanga Mputa as the Tax Ombud effective from 1 July 2023. Ms Mputa becomes South Africa’s first female Tax Ombud. The appointment is for a period of 5 years.
Ms Mputa will take over from Professor Thabo Legwaila, who has been acting in the role since October 2022, after the term of the first Tax Ombud, Judge Bernard Ngoepe, ended on 30 September 2023.
Ms Mputa is an Admitted Attorney of the High Court of South Africa. She joined the National Treasury in 2014 as Chief Director: Legal Tax Design. Prior to this, she was a Tax Specialist at South African Revenue Service from 2009.
In her current role at National Treasury, she has played a sterling role in development of our annual tax legislation, as she oversaw designing and drafting of all tax legislation, including the negotiating of tax treaties. Her work involved working closely with two finance committees of Parliament, to finalise the tax legislation together with other National Treasury and SARS colleagues. She also served as South African representative on OECD/G20 Steering Group of Inclusive Framework on Base Erosion and Profit Shifting (BEPS) since January 2017.
Ms Mputa holds BProc and LLB degrees from former University of Transkei, an LLM degree from University of Witwatersrand, an MCom in International Tax from North-West University (Potchefstroom), and a Postgraduate Diploma in Tax Law from University of KwaZulu-Natal.
Minister Godongwana thanks Judge Ngoepe for his outstanding leadership in establishing the Office of Tax Ombud and ensuring that it improved the South African tax administration system by providing a free and fair avenue for resolving taxpayers’ complaints against the South African Revenue Service (SARS). I also want to thank Professor Legwaila for acting for period 6 October 2022 to 6 April 2023, and wish him all the best as he returns to his position as CEO of the Office of the Tax Ombud.
Minister Godongwana encourages the incoming Tax Ombud to act in the public interest and to ensure that South Africa Revenue Service (SARS) treats all taxpayers fairly. The role of a Tax Ombud serves as a crucial mechanism for ensuring fairness, accountability, and transparency in tax system by acting as an independent and impartial arbitrator between taxpayers and the tax authority.
“By providing a readily accessible avenue for recourse to both individuals and businesses, the Tax Ombud contributes greatly to maintaining public trust in the tax system, something we cannot take for granted. The Office of Tax Ombud also promotes compliance while safeguarding rights of taxpayers, aiding our goal as the government of an equitable and efficient tax administration,” Minister Godongwana said. “I have full faith in Ms Mputa’s ability to take up this challenge and continue the good work the Tax Ombud has already achieved, even though she will be greatly missed at the National Treasury,” the Minister concluded.
