JUBA—Juba City Council says it has taken disciplinary action against 32 employees over malpractice in tax revenue collection, after an investigation found that the council was losing about 50 percent of its revenue through financial leakages.
Caretaker Mayor Christopher Sarafino Wani Swaka said on Friday that internal and external audits uncovered irregularities involving revenue collectors, administrative officers and other personnel responsible for collecting and handling public funds.
Speaking at a press conference in Juba, Swaka said those implicated have undergone investigations and audits, and some admitted to the malpractice, prompting disciplinary action, including dismissal from public service.
“The sample size that we have gotten, the city council is losing about 50% of its revenue towards leakages. And that’s very serious,” he said. “And that has necessitated the reform agenda that we have to do.”
“So definitely the people who are arrested, who are investigated, and who have actually confessed as well, and proven with internal and external audits are going to be discharged from duties from the institution of Juba City Council, and by extension to some of them who are in the state government,” he added.
The mayor did not disclose the actual amount of money lost or the total revenue collected by the council.
Swaka said the city council authority has now shifted from manual tax collection to a digital system to improve accountability, monitor payments, and prevent the diversion of public funds.
He said the council has migrated all its revenue operations from the manual system, which relied on Form 15 and other paper-based records, to a digital platform.
“I must also report here today that in the last 10 days, Juba City Council has officially migrated all its revenue operations from the manual systems of using Form 15 and all the manual forms to a digitalized system of money operations. So we are 100% digitalized, we are 100% transparent, we are 100% accountable,” he said.
The transition followed the passage of a digitalisation law by the Juba City Council Legislative Council after four months of deliberations, providing a legal basis for the new system.
Swaka said the digital platform would enable the council to monitor revenue collections in real time, conduct faster audits and track how much money is received.
“Every single revenue that is collected within the platform by the minute is reflected,” he said, adding that the system would allow the council to report to residents on how much money it collects and how it is spent.
Under the new arrangement, revenue collectors will use point-of-sale (POS) devices to process payments, while traders can check official charges through the council’s website. The approved rates are programmed into the system to prevent officials from changing them or demanding unauthorised payments.
The Mayor said the city council is also introducing uniforms and identification numbers for revenue collectors to help residents identify officials and report misconduct.
The council has also established an information and communications technology department fully staffed had has also introduced a toll-free line to respond to complains from traders.
Swaka said the current initiative was intended to address problems that affected earlier attempts to introduce electronic revenue collection.
The digital revenue collection system was first in 2015, when Swaka previously served as mayor. He said, at the time, revenue collections increased by about 70 percent compared with the manual system.
However, the platform was discontinued following administrative changes after the creation of additional states. A subsequent attempt introduced through a mayoral executive order in 2021 was also halted around 2023/24 following an audit review and concerns over the system.
Swaka said the current platform was established through legislation rather than an executive order to give it a stronger institutional and legal foundation.
The council relies on taxes, fees and other local revenue to finance its operations and provide services, including road maintenance, waste management, security and urban infrastructure.
The mayor said the digitalisation drive was part of a wider reform agenda covering institutional restructuring, financial management, public engagement and legal frameworks.
Swaka said the reforms were intended to restore public confidence in the council and ensure that money collected from businesses and residents is properly accounted for and used to improve services in the capital.
