Africa-Press – South-Sudan. The South Sudan Revenue Authority (SSRA) has sounded the alarm over massive fiscal leakages at Juba International Airport, revealing that illegal tax exemptions imposed by powerful individuals are draining a staggering 24% of the nation’s total tax collection.
Commissioner General William Anyuon Kuol warned that these unauthorized clearances are undermining the country’s economic stability at a time when non-oil revenue is most critical.
The Commissioner General of the SSRA, William Anyuon Kuol, revealed the scale of the crisis on Tuesday after inspecting the airport’s customs unit and the anti-smuggling department.
He emphasized that while the airport is a critical revenue hub, its potential is being undermined by administrative gaps and illegal clearances.
While the airport’s strategic operations should account for nearly a third of national tax revenue, Anyuon disclosed that 24 percent of the revenue specific to the customs division is being lost directly to exemptions that lack legal merit.
The Commissioner General attributed these losses to individuals who “impose” their own authority to bypass taxes. “One of the challenges affecting our collection is exemptions,” Anyuon told SSBC. “Some individuals think they have the power to get exemptions for free. These unauthorized exemptions account for 24 percent of tax collections we are losing.”
In an immediate move to seal these loopholes, the SSRA, in coordination with the Ministry of Finance, has introduced a digital exemption system.
The transition aims to eliminate the “human element”—the face-to-face interactions that have historically allowed unauthorized individuals to pressure customs officers for tax-free clearances.
Key features of the digital crackdown include mandatory online applications, and all exemption requests must now be processed via an online portal to verify the institution’s legal eligibility.
It also called for the removal of middlemen by standardizing the process through a digital platform; the SSRA has removed the need for special committees or boards that were previously vulnerable to influence.
Other strategies include accountability measures that ensure that every clearance is backed by a digital trail aligned with South Sudanese law.
Anyuon stressed that doubling tax collection at this vital station requires more than just new software; it requires a shift in political and public culture.
He called for strong support from the national leadership to back the SSRA’s enforcement and urged the public to cooperate with the new digital mandates.
“We have decided to put all exemptions on digital to ensure transparency,” Anyuon concluded. “If you are not in the category that is supposed to be exempted according to the law, the system will ensure you pay your fair share.”
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