The Durban High Court has sanctioned the sale of five Sandown properties associated with Shauwn “MaMkhize” Mkhize, with the proceeds deposited into trust as Sars continues its tax recovery efforts.
The High Court of KwaZulu-Natal in Durban has greenlit the sale of five opulent properties located in Sandown, Johannesburg, which Sars claims are connected to business mogul and reality television figure Shauwn “MaMkhize” Mkhize, as the tax authority intensifies its attempts to retrieve unpaid taxes.
On 26 October 2026, Judge Jacqueline Henriques approved an urgent application permitting curator bonis Willem Jacobus Venter to oversee the sale of these properties. The funds generated must be kept in an interest-accruing trust account. Following this, Sars has a month to file additional actions to request a declaration that the properties or the proceeds can be utilized for settling Mkhize and the Zikhulise Group’s debts.
It’s important to note that the sale does not immediately give Sars access to the funds, as this matter will be resolved in subsequent litigation.
What Sars claims is owed
As of 19 September 2025, Mkhize’s personal tax liability was approximately R13.33 million, inclusive of interest. According to reports from Daily Investor, she was also deemed personally responsible for the Zikhulise Group’s tax debt of about R112.57 million, raising the total liability to roughly R125.9 million. Previous auctions of movable assets had recovered around R6.1 million by that time.
The Sandown compound
The five properties constitute a compound within Sandown Extension 24. Four properties located at 56 Adrianne Street are registered under the ownership of Israeli entrepreneur Yaron Peretz. The fifth property, situated at 22 Aston Street, is owned by 22 Aston Investments (Pty) Ltd.
Sars asserts that Mkhize is the true beneficial owner of these properties. Evidence from a tax investigation suggests that she and associated entities were responsible for a substantial portion of the purchase funds and engaged in negotiation processes. A valuation estimates the combined market worth at about R35 million, with a forced-sale value approximated at R24.5 million. The municipal valuation stands at approximately R22.8 million.
Why the court acted now
The court concluded that the properties were falling into disrepair, as reported by Scrolla Africa. There are outstanding municipal charges of around R1.79 million on four of these properties. Monthly security expenses total approximately R188,000, with insurance costs approaching R98,000 biannually. Under a preservation order, Sars had been covering these expenses, and the court recognized that they were diminishing the assets’ value, thereby negating the aim of preservation.
Mkhize, her son Andile Mpisane, and connected entities contested the sale, claiming it was premature and that these properties were their primary residence. The court dismissed these substantial arguments and ruled that they must bear the legal costs.
During hearings in April, the residence argument received considerable questioning. Judge Henriques inquired why it hadn’t been clearly articulated in the affidavits. Counsel for Sars contended that converting the properties to cash was in mutual interest, as Mkhize’s frozen accounts prevented her from maintaining them, and Sars could not use taxpayer funds for that purpose. The judgment was reserved during that hearing.
A conflict two decades in the making
Mkhize, who was formerly known as Mpisane during her marriage to Sbu Mpisane, has established a prominent business presence that has transitioned into somewhat of a media career, buoyed by her recognition as a reality TV star with numerous renowned acquaintances. Her company, Zikhulise Cleaning Maintenance and Transport Service, secured significant government contracts in the early 2000s, and she gained notoriety for her extravagant lifestyle depicted on the reality program Kwa Mam’Mkhize and as the owner of football team Royal AM.
Her tax predicaments trace back to at least 2005, when she was convicted for tax fraud involving false declarations. Tax audits conducted from approximately 2010 to 2014 revealed under-reported income, absent VAT returns, and supposedly inflated invoices. Criminal charges related to fraud, forgery, and tax evasion were dismissed in 2014 after a court found that the prosecution had withheld exculpatory evidence.
Civil recovery processes continued. Zikhulise faced provisional liquidation in 2018 and was ultimately liquidated by the Pretoria High Court in 2020, owing around R204 million in taxes, penalties, and interest. Earlier efforts to seize assets, which included a La Lucia mansion, a farm, and luxury vehicles, yielded varied outcomes, with some items temporarily returned.
More recently, in November 2024, Sars secured a provisional preservation order under the Tax Administration Act, later affirmed, which encompassed the Sandown properties along with other assets. In 2025, luxury vehicles, high-end handbags, and various movable items were seized and sold at auction. Additionally, Royal AM encountered league sanctions and independent court disputes concerning financial and tax-related matters.
Mkhize’s stance
Mkhize has consistently contested various elements of the tax assessments. She has pursued deferred payment options and challenged Sars in court, at times alleging bias or dishonesty on the tax authority’s part. Sars maintains that it is simply enforcing tax duties against a taxpayer whose businesses benefited from public resources while amassing substantial unpaid obligations.
For the moment, the court has decided to prioritize converting the deteriorating properties into cash to safeguard their remaining value. It remains to be seen whether Sars can allocate the proceeds toward the outstanding debts, which will be addressed in forthcoming legal actions within the next month.
