Johannesburg — The Jacob Zuma Foundation has warned it will take legal action if former president Jacob Zuma’s tax records are released, following a directive from the Information Regulator of South Africa (IRSA) for the South African Revenue Service (SARS) to disclose the documents.
The directive comes seven years after investigative outlet amaBhungane filed a request under the Protection of Personal Information Act (POPIA) for Zuma’s tax records from 2010 to 2018.
SARS had previously denied the request, citing confidentiality under the Tax Administration Act (TAA) and claiming some records did not exist.
IRSA’s Advocate Lebogang Stroom said the regulator found SARS was not justified in refusing access.
“Following an exhaustive investigation, the Regulator has directed that Mr Zuma’s tax returns, assessments, and correspondence be released to the requester,” Stroom said, according to The Citizen, noting that the decision balances privacy rights with the public interest in transparency.
The Jacob Zuma Foundation described the directive as “misleading, premature, and legally unsound”.
Spokesperson Mzwanele Manyi said taxpayer information remains confidential under the TAA and that any unlawful disclosure would be met with “appropriate and immediate legal action.”
“These reports are misleading, premature, and legally unsound. The Tax Administration Act (TAA) remains the governing law on taxpayer information. It expressly prohibits Sars from disclosing any taxpayer’s confidential records except under narrow, specific statutory conditions, Manyi said in a statement.
JG Zuma Foundation Rejects Misleading Claims About Acces To President Zuma’s Tax Records. pic.twitter.com/gdkkiEv1QJ
— MK Party Stan (@XFactor079) November 17, 2025
“None of these conditions permit the release of President Zuma’s tax information. Even after the Constitutional Court’s Arena Holdings judgment, the legal position remains unchanged: taxpayer information is confidential.”
He added: “The Foundation cautions Sars and all state institutions to resist being weaponised for political purposes. Sars officials who unlawfully disclose protected taxpayer information commit a criminal offence under the TAA.
“No external pressure or misinterpretation of legal processes changes this. President Zuma’s rights, dignity, and constitutional protections remain intact. Any unlawful attempt to force disclosure of his confidential tax records will be met with appropriate and immediate legal action.”
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Compiled by Betha Madhomu
