Zuma Foundation rejects reports on SARS tax release

The Jacob G Zuma Foundation announced it would pursue legal remedies against any attempt to disclose the former president's confidential tax information following a regulatory order directing the South African Revenue Service to release records spanning eight years. Foundation representatives argued that the Tax Administration Act provides absolute statutory protection for taxpayer data that cannot be superseded by administrative directives or information access legislation.

The Information Regulator issued an enforcement notice requiring revenue authorities to provide documentation after determining that Zuma consistently filed returns only after receiving final demands throughout his presidency, while underreporting earnings that resulted in penalties. Regulators concluded that public interest in verifying equal enforcement of tax obligations outweighed privacy considerations, particularly given pending criminal charges for false statements in official filings.

Revenue service officials face potential fines and prosecution if they fail to comply within 30 days, though the foundation maintains that any employee who releases protected information without proper legal authority would be committing an offense under existing confidentiality statutes.