DJ Maphorisa Drags SARS To Court Over R3.3 Million Tax Dispute

South African music producer DJ Maphorisa is locked in a legal fight with the South African Revenue Service (SARS) over a tax bill totalling R3.3 million.

According to reports, the acclaimed artist, whose real name is Themba Sonnyboy Sekowe, has approached the South African Tax Court in Johannesburg after failing to reach a settlement with the revenue authority.

YOU MAY ALSO LIKE: Nomalanga Shozi Lands Dream Gig As Host Of Miss South Africa 2025 Grand Finale

Court documents show that SARS first contacted Maphorisa in July 2018, notifying him of its intention to conduct an income tax audit after he allegedly failed to submit his returns. The agency requested a range of supporting documents, including IRP5 and IT3 certificates, investment income records, and bank statements.

During a pre-trial conference, Maphorisa reportedly told SARS officials that his tax returns were eventually filed once the audit process was underway, explaining that earlier delays were due to mental health challenges.

Sars Accuses DJ Maphorisa of Intentional Tax Evasion

After completing the audit, SARS allegedly questioned several transactions made into Maphorisa’s FNB account, claiming that these deposits were part of his undeclared gross income.

In November 2018, the tax authority issued its findings, accusing the producer of intentionally evading tax and slapping him with a 200% penalty on the assessed amount.

“The respondent has proven the facts relied upon to impose the USP (understatement penalties) at the rate of 200% on the basis that the appellant’s conduct is correctly classified as intentional tax evasion,” read a portion of the court documents.

Sars reportedly finalised its audit in December 2018, using bank data available at the time after Maphorisa allegedly failed to respond to its findings. It then raised assessments totalling over R3.3 million.

DJ Maphorisa Fights Back in Tax Court

In 2022, Maphorisa lodged formal objections challenging the assessments for the 2015 to 2017 tax years, but these were dismissed by SARS. He later filed an appeal in September 2022, arguing that the revenue service miscalculated his tax liability and ignored expense deductions.

In his appeal, the Mnike hitmaker further claimed that “the imposition of the USP by Sars has not been reasonable.”

The case is currently before the Tax Court, where DJ Maphorisa hopes to have the multi-million-rand tax bill overturned.

---

For More, Follow SurgeZirc SA On  Facebook, X,  Instagram and Bluesky