SARS must answer how it deposited a rebate due to Jairaj Sathdav allegedly into a falsified TymeBank account, without his knowledge. Yet all his previous rebates were paid into his Standard Bank account, which he has held for 40 years. Picture: Independent Newspapers Archives

HOW a prominent digital bank was able to open an account for an elderly Durban man without his permission and receive a SARS rebate on his behalf has caused him much consternation.

Heightening his frustration was the fact that the R37 000 SARS rebate that he was entitled to was withdrawn and completely wiped out by the person allegedly masquerading as him.

When Jairaj Sathdav, 68, realised that the SARS rebate that he anticipated did not reflect in his 40-year-old Standard Bank account, as it had previously, he enquired further.

That’s when he was informed that the money was deposited into the Tymebank account in question in July last year.

He was shocked at this discovery and has since been demanding answers.

Sathdav, a retired former Standard Bank clerk, said the SARS refund was in regards to his R8,500 monthly medical aid premiums.

More shocking for him was that the account was opened using his personal details without his consent.

“After I completed the tax returns, the refund was processed but was deposited into the wrong account.

“I don’t know who opened the account with TymeBank as it was not me and not any member of my family,” said Sathdav.

Upon realising that the money had not reflected in his Standard Bank account, which was the only one he had, he approached SARS offices in uMhlanga, only to be told that the money had been transferred to the TymeBank account.

He was then advised to approach TymeBank, where he got confirmation and bank statements showing that an account was opened in his name and was in use.

However, the SARS deposit had already been withdrawn, which was why TymeBank advised him to open a case of fraud with the police and provide the bank with a case number, ID copy, and affidavit for it to close the account.

He opened the case at Newlands East police station on July 30.

KwaZulu-Natal police spokesperson Colonel Robert Netshiunda confirmed Sathdav’s case.

Netshiunda said the police were still investigating a fraud case in connection with tax returns money allegedly deposited into someone else’s account other than that of the intended recipient in July 2024.

On November 13, 2024, SARS instructed Sathdav to provide his selfie, ID copy, affidavit, and ‘other evidentiary documents’ within 21 days; failure to do so would result in the revenue service closing its internal investigation.

When contacted about the matter, the SARS spokesperson Siphithi Sibeko said their forensic team had to “thoroughly investigate the matter”.

“As you know, we are prohibited by Chapter 6 of the Tax Administration Act 28 of 2011 to share confidential taxpayer information.

“I have arranged that our team interacts directly with the taxpayer,” said Sibeko.

TymeBank did not respond to questions emailed to it on February 12.

Sathdav’s son, Vinall, confirmed that SARS sent an email inviting his father to an online meeting on Monday at 10am.

The money from SARS, which was deposited into the TymeBank account on July 3, 2024, was withdrawn in R2,000 cash every day between July 4 and July 22, 2024.

“I need to know who opened the account (TymeBank), when was the account opened, and what documents they used to open the account.

“When you go to open an account, they ask you for proof of address, your ID, so how did they get those documents to open the account,” said Sathdav.

The confusing part is that, according to the bank statement, the TymeBank account had been operating as far back as November 11, 2023, which was when an amount of R821 was deposited by SARS at 5.06pm and withdrawn on the same day at 7.21pm as a “Once-Off Payment”.

In his affidavit, Sathdav said he did not know who submitted the TymeBank account to SARS.

“As soon as the money was paid, they started withdrawing R2,000 daily until the full R37,842 was withdrawn.

“I visited SARS offices in uMhlanga on numerous occasions but no one can explain what happened, and all they say is that the case is under investigation.

“I bank with Standard Bank and all previous refunds were paid to this account, which is 40-years-old,” he wrote.

He alleged that one day, he called the SARS call centre to get answers, but was told that he owed SARS R39,000.

“If I owe them money, how was the refund of R37,842 due to me, paid to TymeBank?” said Sathdav.

bongani.hans@inl.co.za

DAILY NEWS