Settlement reached between SARS and Vlok Symington

A settlement has been reached between the South African Revenue Service (SARS) and a senior SARS official‚ Vlok Symington.

SARS said on Tuesday that the North Gauteng High Court had granted an order giving effect to a settlement agreement between the two parties on Friday.

It said the parties had agreed‚ in good faith‚ to bring all legal and other related proceedings against each other‚ including disciplinary charges against Symington and Thabo Titi‚ the bodyguard of SARS Commissioner Tom Moyane‚ to an end.

Symington made headlines in 2016 after he was allegedly held against his will by members of the Hawks and Titi in a SARS boardroom‚ after he apparently refused to give them a document sent to him by mistake.

“The events leading up to the incident‚ the incident itself and the disciplinary charges that arose from the incident against Mr Symington and Mr Titi have been reviewed by SARS and both parties have agreed that it would be in the best interest of all that these matters be settled‚” SARS said in a statement on Tuesday. 

“In granting the order‚ the Honourable Mr Justice Louw welcomed the fact that the parties have reached an amicable resolution without the need for further litigation. All parties are now looking forward to continue working towards fulfilling the mandate of SARS and restoring public trust and credibility to this important fiscal institution‚” it added.

No further details were given.