Oupa Magashula is leading the way in enhancing tax administration across sub-Saharan Africa.
Magashula is the chairman of the African Tax Administration Forum (ATAF), which brings together 34 tax administrations from across the African continent to provide skills training and to create a platform for African tax and customs administration to develop and share expertise and experience.
“The biggest problems tax administrations face is the lack of capacity. We are trying to improve this through ATAF but a lot of our members need more capability. The result of this is that they are unable to investigate complicated structures and undertake complex audits,” said Magashula.
Since Magashula appeared in International Tax Review’s Top 50 list last year, 21 ATAF member countries have reached consensus on the text of an African Agreement on Mutual Assistance on Tax Matters in South Africa.
The agreement was in reaction to an estimated $500 billion to $800 billion of illicit capital flight from the continent.
The most recent ATAF meeting was held in Dakar, Senegal, in September, where Magashula spoke to member countries about research into country experiences with tax incentives and efforts to harmonise tax policy in the region.
