This study was produced by the Tax Policy and Statistics Division of the OECD’s Centre for Tax Policy and Administration (CTPA). It is the first product of a joint project between the OECD’s Centre for Tax Policy and Administration and the National Treasury of South Africa to analyse illicit financial flows (IFFs) in South Africa. Whilst this study provides an estimate of IFFs, and thereafter focuses on tax-related IFFs given the availability of tax-data, further studies could analyse non-tax IFFs, in line with the broader objectives of the joint project. Whilst the studies reflect the views of the authors, they do not necessarily reflect the views of National Treasury, and are intended to lay the basis for further research and evidence to guide policy responses to illicit financial flows.
The joint project team overseeing the project consists of Errol Makhubela (National Treasury), Pierce O’Reilly (OECD), Varsha Singh (ATAF), and Michael A. Stemmer (OECD). The analysis was carried out and coordinated by Michael A. Stemmer. The report was drafted by Michael A. Stemmer under the supervision of Pierce O’Reilly. Chris Axelson from the National Treasury contributed to the analysis of CRS data featured in Chapter 6.
The authors would like to thank David Bradbury for his guidance and feedback throughout the project. The authors are also very grateful to Carrie Tyler, Natalie Lagorce, Hazel Healy and Karena Garnier for their support with communications and formatting, and to Violet Sochay, Marie-Aurélie Elkurd and Alexandra Le Cam, for their assistance with administrative matters. The authors would also like to thank Andrew Auerbach, Nilimesh Baruah, Winfrid Blaschke, Bert Brys, Céline Colin, Melissa Dejong, Ben Dickinson, Falilou Fall, Peter Green, Hakim Hamadi, Paul Hondius, Radhanath Housden, Philip Kerfs, Gwenaëlle Le Coustumer, Marcos Roca, Joseph Stead, Ervice Tchouata, and participants in CTPA’s Brownbag Lunch Seminar for helpful comments and suggestions.
In addition to OECD colleagues, the authors would like to acknowledge the very helpful input and support received from Chris Axelson and Hayley Erasmus from the National Treasury and Godfrey Baloyi, Johan George Fourie, Thembile Hlati and Thabile Ntombela from the South Africa Revenue Service, Annet Wanyana Oguttu from the University of Pretoria, Steve Dawe from the International Monetary Fund, and Pierre Bardin from the Financial Action Task Force. The authors would like to particularly thank Carel Lombard from the South Africa Revenue Service for his assistance in preparing the data used for the study.
This report was produced with the financial assistance of the governments of Ireland, Japan, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Norway, Sweden, Switzerland and the United Kingdom. The contents of the report do not necessarily reflect the official opinion of any of these governments.