By BigEyeUg Team
Johannesburg – The South African Revenue Service (SARS) has taken legal action against reality TV star and businesswoman Zari The Boss Lady, born Zari Hassan, for failing to settle her outstanding tax debt.
The tax authority obtained a default judgment at the Johannesburg High Court last week, ordering her to pay a staggering R5 million.
According to court documents, Tlale initially owed SARS just under R3 million in personal income tax. However, penalties and interest charges amounting to R2.1 million increased the total to more than R5 million.
Final Warning Ignored
Before resorting to legal action, SARS issued a final letter of demand to Tlale on August 9 last year, instructing her to either settle the debt or arrange a payment plan.
The tax authority warned that failure to comply would lead to asset attachment and auctioning.
“You are requested to make full payment within 10 days from the date of this letter of demand,” SARS stated in the document.
It also advised Tlale to apply for instalment payments or a suspension of the debt if she planned to dispute the amount.
However, despite these warnings, Tlale did not meet the tax authority’s demands, forcing SARS to seek relief from the court.
Potential Consequences
With the default judgment in place, SARS now has the legal authority to seize and sell Tlale’s assets to recover the unpaid taxes.
The court papers also indicate that SARS may instruct third parties, such as banks or business partners, to redirect any funds owed to Tlale towards settling the tax bill.
“If you are a natural person, you may apply for a reduction of the amount to be paid to SARS based on your and your dependants’ basic living expenses,” the documents read.
Not the First Celebrity to Face SARS Scrutiny
Zari The Boss Lady, who is set to return for Season 3 of the popular Netflix series Young, Famous & African, is not the only celebrity to be targeted by SARS for tax issues. Other high-profile personalities who have faced hefty tax bills include:
- Major League DJZ – R9 million
- Tumi Masemola – R1.4 million
- Bonang Matheba, AKA (Kiernan Forbes), Black Coffee, and Makhadzi, among others.
Despite multiple attempts, Tlale has not responded to requests for comment on the matter.
SARS continues its crackdown on tax defaulters, sending a strong message that no one is above the law when it comes to fulfilling tax obligations.
We will keep you posted