Don’t mess with SARS: Controversial businesswoman and TV personality can lose 5 Sandton houses to cover R125.9 million tax bill

The High Court has ordered that five properties owned by the controversial businesswoman Shauwn Mkhize be sold at market value to cover her R125.9 million tax bill. 

This tax bill comprises Mkhize’s personal income tax debt of R13,331,166.02 and her personal liability for Zikhulise Group’s tax debt of R112,574,520.43. 

The bill owed is what remains after SARS recovered some of Mkhize’s personal tax bill by auctioning off her seized luxury vehicles, designer bags, and other movable property. 

Mkhize, popularly known as MaMkhize, has business interests ranging across construction, sports management, media, and transport in South Africa. 

The majority of her wealth was created by the Zikhulise Group, which was established as a construction business in the early 2000s. 

This company made most of its money by securing high-value municipal and government tenders in KwaZulu-Natal for low-cost housing, school infrastructure, and civil works. 

Over time, the business diversified into fleet maintenance and towing contracts, logistics and facility management. 

Mkhize’s most high-profile business was her ownership of South African football clubs, which began with Royal Eagles FC. 

After her divorce from Sbu Mpisane, Mkhize bought the football club outright and renamed it Royal AM Football Club.

Mkhize then bought the Premier Soccer League status of Bloemfontein Celtic, bringing Royal AM into South Africa’s top professional league. 

This business was coupled with Mkhize’s stints on reality television, with her Mzansi Magic reality series Kwa Mam’Mkhize displaying her lavish lifestyle. 

However, throughout this journey, Mkhize has had run-ins with SARS, with the businesswoman being convicted of tax fraud in 2005. 

This was related to false tax and VAT declarations and became a key reference point for SARS when it began investigating her growing wealth and lavish lifestyle. 

Between 2010 and 2014, SARS initiated a comprehensive lifestyle and corporate audit into Mkhize and her businesses. 

The authorities flagged millions of rands worth of under-declared revenue, unsubmitted VAT returns dating back to 2005, and inflated expenditure invoices that were used to reduce tax liabilities. 

Mkhize was formally charged in 2011 with over 50 counts of fraud, forgery, and tax evasion. 

However, the case collapsed in 2014 when the court ruled the lead prosecutor had withheld evidence that favoured the defence. This led to all criminal charges being withdrawn. 

SARS comes knocking again

SARS was not easily shaken, initiating a civil recovery process in the High Court to recover R204 million in corporate taxes, penalties, and interest from Zikhulise. 

The revenue service was successful, with the High Court ordering the liquidation of Zikhulise in 2020. 

This was not enough to settle the tax bill, and SARS extended enforcement to Mkhize’s Shandi Trust and affiliated entities. The process culminated in the seizure and curatorship of Royal AM.

SARS has continued chasing Mkhize for the remainder of the tax bill, now at R125.9 million after interest has been applied to the amount owed. 

Apart from seizing Royal AM, SARS has also auctioned off Mkhize’s movable properties, including her luxury vehicles:

• 2020 Bentley Continental GTC: Sold for R3.28 million
• 2014 Mercedes-Benz Marcopolo G7 Tour Bus: Sold for R2.6 million
• 2018 Mercedes-Benz V-Class Bus: Sold for R1.2 million.
• 2019 Toyota Hilux 2.7 VVTi Single Cab: Sold for R170,000
• 2012 BMW X6 xDrive 40d: Sold for R132,500

On 26 October 2026, the KwaZulu-Natal Division of the High Court of South Africa ruled in favour of SARS to dispose of Mkhize’s luxury houses to cover the tax bill. 

These properties were already under a tax preservation order, but SARS argued that a lack of maintenance, rising municipal debt, and security costs were eroding their value. 

The revenue service was concerned that if these properties were not sold soon, it would not be able to recover fair value for them. 

Mkhize opposed the proceedings, but the court ruled in favour of SARS and authorised the sale of five properties at market value. 

The proceeds from the sale are to be ring-fenced in an interest-bearing trust account. It also ordered the opposing respondents to pay the legal costs. 

Not all of the properties are owned by Mkhize according to their title deeds, but SARS successfully argued that she was the beneficial owner of all five properties. 

These properties are luxury houses located in the upmarket suburb of Sandown in Johannesburg, and four were turned into a compound. They are listed below. 

Property Description	Street Address	Size	Acquisition Value
Remaining extent of Erf 662	56 Adrianne Street	1,698.41 m²	Part of 4 properties originally contracted for R19.498 million combined.
Portion 1 of Erf 662	56 Adrianne Street	1,059.97 m²	Part of 4 properties originally contracted for R19.498 million combined.
Portion 2 of Erf 662	56 Adrianne Street	728.34 m²	Part of 4 properties originally contracted for R19.498 million combined.
Portion 3 of Erf 662	56 Adrianne Street	879.70 m²	Part of 4 properties originally contracted for R19.498 million combined.
Erf 223	22 Aston Street	4,993.00 m²	Acquired via share agreement for R5 million.