An elderly man from Durban is demanding answers about who opened an account with TymeBank where his more than R37,000 from the taxman was deposited in July last year without his knowledge and withdrawn immediately.

Jairaj Sathdav, 68, was shocked to learn that the refund mysteriously ended up in the TymeBank account, which he did not know about.

The retired former Standard Bank clerk said South African Revenue Service (SARS) refunded him for deducting tax from his R8,500 medical aid monthly premiums.

More shocking was that the account was opened using his details without his consent. He said every year, SARS would deposit his refund into his Standard Bank account.

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

“I bank with Standard Bank, but 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, where he had been assisted in completing the tax return forms, only to be told that the money had been transferred to the TymeBank account.

He was then advised to approach TymeBank, which then gave him statements showing that he had an account with the bank.

But to his surprise, the money had already been withdrawn, which was why TymeBank advised him to open a case of fraud with the police and provide the bank with a case number, ID copy, and affidavit for it to close the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 last year.

KwaZulu-Natal police spokesperson Colonel Robert Netshiunda confirmed that Sathdav opened the 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, SARS spokesperson Siphithi Sibeko said SARS’s 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 with regard to this matter,” 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.

Sathdav seeks answers regarding the TymeBank account and the disappearance of his funds.

“I need to know who opened the account, 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,” he said.

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 “Once-Off Payment, Sathdav”.

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 till 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.

“I am a Standard Bank account holder for the last 40 years and SARS has all my details,” 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