Cyril Ramaphosa has appointed Ngobani Johnstone Makhubu as Commissioner of the South African Revenue Service for a five-year term starting 1 May 2026.
Source: CLG Lawyers and Business Advisors.
The appointment, made in line with the Sars Act, follows a unanimous recommendation by a selection panel convened by Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana. Makhubu will succeed outgoing commissioner Edward Kieswetter, ushering in a new leadership phase at the revenue service.
Source: South African Government/Facebook. Ngobani Johnstone Makhubu, Commissioner of the South African Revenue Service.
Makhubu, who has held the position of Deputy Commissioner: Taxpayer Engagement and Operations since 2023, succeeds Commissioner Edward Kieswetter whose two-year contract ends on 30 April 2026.
“The incoming Commissioner is a seasoned public- and private-sector executive with more than 17 years of senior leadership experience spanning tax administration, commercial, finance and operations management.
“He has worked in complex, regulated and large-scale organisations across multiple industries including fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG), mining, power generation and public revenue services,” said the Presidency in a statement.
Makhubu has worked on the formulation of the Sars strategic direction since 2020 and has actively worked to implement the Vision 2024 strategy together with the current Commissioner.
The implementation of Vision 2024 achieved revenue collections with a compounded annual growth rate of 7.6% while voluntary compliance increased by 3.4 percentage points.
Leadership transition applauded
"President Ramaphosa congratulates Makhubu on his appointment to lead the revenue service, the institution that provides the financial resources necessary for government to function, fund infrastructure, and pay for social services,” said the Presidency.
It added that President Ramaphosa has expressed his appreciation and high regard for Commissioner Kieswetter’s “incisive and innovative leadership that has positioned Sars as a critical enabler of fiscal stability, social delivery, trade facilitation, and the enablement of domestic and foreign investment”.
President Ramaphosa said the change in the leadership of Sars shows how sound succession planning contributes to the capability of the state.
