On 05 January 2022, the South African Revenue Service’s (SARS) first Commissioner, Trevor van Heerden, passed away.
According to a SARS release, he was a skilled and dedicated civil servant who committed more than forty years of his life to SARS and one of its predecessors, Inland Revenue.
Van Heerden played an instrumental role in the establishment of SARS as we know it today. He was also deeply involved in the development of the taxation of fringe benefits and the Value-Added Tax (VAT) Act, 1991.
Commissioner Edward Kieswetter, on behalf of SARS, expressed his deepest condolences to the Van Heerden family. He wished the family strength during this difficult time.