Pretoria – President Cyril Ramaphosa has appointed Dr Ngobani Johnstone Makhubu as the new Commissioner of the South African Revenue Service for a five-year term, effective from May 1, 2026.
The appointment was made in terms of the SARS Act of 1997 following a unanimous recommendation by a selection panel convened by Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana.
Dr Makhubu, currently serving as Deputy Commissioner for Taxpayer Engagement and Operations, will succeed outgoing Commissioner Edward Kieswetter, whose term ends on April 30.
According to the Presidency, Makhubu brings more than 17 years of senior leadership experience across tax administration, finance, commercial strategy and operations in both the public and private sectors.
“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,” the Presidency said in a statement.
PRESIDENT RAMAPHOSA APPOINTS NEW SARS COMMISSIONER
President @CyrilRamaphosa has appointed Dr Ngobani Johnstone Makhubu as Commissioner of the South African Revenue Service (SARS) for a period of five years with effect from 1 May 2026. https://t.co/PtbkOjY6EK
— The Presidency 🇿🇦 (@PresidencyZA) April 2, 2026
Makhubu has been closely involved in shaping SARS’ strategic direction since 2020 and played a key role in implementing the Vision 2024 strategy alongside Kieswetter.
“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,” the statement said.
Ramaphosa welcomed the appointment, highlighting the importance of SARS in supporting government functions and service delivery.
“President Ramaphosa congratulates Dr Makhubu on his appointment to lead the revenue service as the institution that provides the financial resources necessary for the Government to function, fund infrastructure, and pay for social services,” the Presidency said.
The President also praised Kieswetter’s leadership, crediting him with strengthening the institution during a critical period.
He expressed “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.”
Ramaphosa said the leadership transition reflects the strength of succession planning within the institution.
“The change in the leadership of SARS shows how sound succession planning contributes to the capability of the State,” he said.
