NB Publishers media statement
NB Publishers is delighted to announce that the South African Revenue Service (SARS) has dropped its litigation against The President’s Keepers author Jacques Pauw.
This week SARS sent legal correspondence to the publishing house saying that Acting Commissioner Mark Kingon “considers this litigation unfortunate. The Acting Commissioner is working hard to restore the public confidence in the SARS.” The letter also said it was withdrawing the litigation.
This follows the suspension of former commissioner Tom Moyane, who featured prominently in The President’s Keepers, which was published in October last year and went on to become one of the biggest- and fastest-selling books in South African history. The book revealed, among other things, that former president Jacob Zuma perverted the law enforcement agencies of South Africa to hide the fact that he was not tax compliant and that he received a salary from a private company while in office.
Earlier this year, SARS under Moyane filed papers in the Western Cape High Court against Pauw, saying that he published confidential tax information in the book, which was in contravention of the Tax Administration Act.
Although the papers were not served on NB Publishers, the publishing house defended Pauw against the court action, arguing that there was clear and compelling public interest in The President’s Keepers revelations about Zuma’s tax affairs.
“We are proud to have stood by our author and the book, which brought to light important information and played a role in breaking up the Zuma cabal that has only its own interests – and not that of the country – at heart,” said NB Publishers. “Pauw is a highly respected, experienced investigative journalist, and his book was written and published with the utmost integrity.”
“We are very happy that this chapter of litigation is now closed and our author is no longer under attack,” the publishing house said.
