By Rorisang Modiba
- DJ Maphorisa, real name Themba Sunnyboy Sekowe, is appealing a R3.3-million tax bill after SARS accused him of dodging his income tax.
- The South African Revenue Service added a 200% penalty after using his FNB account details to calculate income he says was already declared.
Award-winning DJ Maphorisa is taking the South African Revenue Service (SARS) to court over a tax bill of R3.3-million.
Maphorisa, whose real name is Themba Sunnyboy Sekowe, has filed papers in the South African Tax Court in Johannesburg after he and SARS failed to reach an agreement.
According to Sunday World, SARS told Maphorisa in July 2018 that his income tax would be audited because he hadn’t submitted his returns.
He reportedly told the revenue service that mental health challenges had stopped him from filing on time.
During the audit, SARS questioned whether the money paid into his FNB account was part of his income. Maphorisa said he had already provided his Standard Bank statements, invoices and account details to help calculate his earnings.
Despite this, SARS used information from his FNB account to work out what he owed. In November 2018, the tax body ruled that he had intentionally avoided paying tax — and added a 200% penalty to his debt.
Maphorisa is now appealing the decision, arguing that SARS made errors in how it calculated his income and that he was not trying to dodge tax.
The case is being heard in the South African Tax Court in Johannesburg.
Pictured above: DJ Maphorisa.
Image source: @DJMaphorisa
