Honorary doctorate for SARS commissioner

UCT will award Pravin Gordhan, Commissioner of the South African Revenue Service (SARS), an honorary Doctor of Laws degree this year.

The degree of Doctor of Laws (LLD, Honoris causa) will be presented to Gordhan at UCT's mid-year graduation ceremony on 15 June, paying tribute to his stellar contributions to South Africa as a political activist, Member of Parliament and Commissioner of SARS.

"It is an honour for the University of Cape Town, always striving to be a leading university in the country, Africa and the world, to be associated with a leading figure such as Mr Pravin Gordhan," said Vice-Chancellor and Principal, Professor Njabulo S Ndebele.

Gordhan cut his political teeth in the South African student movement, played a pivotal role in the Convention for a Democratic South Africa (CODESA) between 1991 and 1994, and served as a Member of Parliament from 1994 to 1998.

He joined SARS as deputy commissioner in 1998, and was appointed as commissioner in November 1999.