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corruption, Law and order, Lifestyle

South Africa Govt expels Malawi, Rwanda, Guinea, Lesotho, Burundi diplomats for tax invasion

Lloyd M’bwana 1 Comment
Malawi president Lazarus Chakwera and South Africa President Ramaphosa meet

PRETORIA-(MaraviPost)-South Africa government has expelled Malawi, Rwanda, Guinea, Lesotho, Burundi diplomats for abusing diplomatic privileges

The South Africa Revenue Service (SARS) has uncovered a tax-dodging racket in which foreign diplomats buy large volumes of alcohol at duty free retailers and sell it locally, cheating the tax collector of an estimated R100 million in taxes every month.

According to News24, two investigations by SARS, one in 2019 and the other last year, singled out diplomats from Rwanda, Lesotho, Ghana, Guinea, Malawi and Burundi for being involved in the scam.

At least three senior officials from the Department of International Relations and Cooperation, who spoke on condition of anonymity, told News24 last year SARS agents caught a German diplomat, inside a duty free retailer, using his credentials to buy alcohol for three friends.

According to South African media coverage citing a widely circulated report from the SA Department of International Relations and Co-operation (Dirco), 12 people were accused of abusing their diplomatic privileges.

Lifestyle

South Africa expels Lesotho diplomats over sale of illicit alcohol

Maravi Post Reporter

Lesotho said Thursday that several of its diplomats had been expelled from South Africa over the illicit peddling of duty-free alcohol.

The foreign affairs ministry in Maseru said South Africa had given the diplomats and their families 72 hours to leave the country.

South Africa had taken the decision because the diplomats violated laws “specifically, the illicit trade in duty-free alcohol”, it said in a statement.

South African media have reported that cash-strapped Lesotho diplomats have been bringing alcohol into the country without paying duty and then re-selling it in bars and restaurants.

The ministry expressed “disappointment and embarrassment that several Basotho diplomats…have been declared persona non grata” by South Africa.

It vowed disciplinary action when the officers return home.

A leaked note from the South African government sent to the foreign ministry in Maseru, listing 12 diplomats, including spouses who “have abused their diplomatic privileges”.

South Africa’s foreign ministry did not immediately respond to queries for comment.

Source: Africanews