The life of glamour is often followed by legal pitfalls
As some South Africans are sad to bid farewell to 2019 because it has been a prosperous year for them, some of our celebrities might be shouting “good riddance to a rubbish year”.
This because of the financial challenges they encountered that resulted in legal actions taken against them. These financial hiccups might have been caused by reckless expenditure or lack of financial education.
Among those celebrities are house music recording superstar DJ Euphonik whose record company, Euphonik Productions, was dragged to
the high court in Joburg by the South African Revenue Service (SARS) after it failed to settle almost R4- milllion of the R9.8-million bill it owed the taxman.
The label owed SARS more than R317 000 in employees tax, more than R130 000 in unemployment insurance fund contributions, more
than R150 000 in unpaid skills development levies, more than R3.6-million in unpaid income tax and more than R6.3-million in unpaid
value-added tax (VAT).
His fellow musician, award-winning rap sensation AKA, also found himself on the wrong side of law.
SARS obtained judgment against the muso after he failed to pay almost R400 000 in income tax.
Soccer boss Jomo Sono is definitely one of the celebrated personalities who wish to see the back of 2019. This after the taxman obtained a judgment at the South Gauteng High Court to attach assets belonging to legendary football icon and his football club Jomo Cosmos.
SARS took Sono to court after he allegedly failed to pay a whopping R40- million tax bill demanded from him since last year.
According to the documents, Sono allegedly owes more than R22-million in unpaid VAT, almost R13-million in unpaid Paye/UIF and skills
development levies, as well as more than R4-million in assessed tax and penalties.
Popular actress and wedding planner Sophie Ndaba also found herself facing legal challenges after failing to service her home loan.
Ndaba was taken to court by Mercantile Bank after failing to pay back R2.2- million she took to buy her Featherbrook Estate house in Joburg.
When she was dragged to court, Ndaba was over R80 000 in arrears.
The late hiphop artist HHP also found himself battling a lawsuit from the grave after his company Hip Hop Pantsula Production was more
than R54 000 in arrears after failing to service his R1.2-million Nedbank bond for more than five months after his untimely death.
The Motswako sensation’s company was supposed to pay the bank more than R10 000 in monthly instalments over a period of 240 months.
Another celeb frowning upon the year 2019 was house music singer Donald.
The musician was dragged to court by Standard Bank after he failed to pay R11 000 in monthly instalments of the R877 000 loan he
took to buy a house in the Joburg CBD.
The Over the Moon hitmaker’s account was nearly R70 000 in arrears.
Former Isidingo actress Katlego Danke was also in trouble with the law after she failed to pay R4 000 in monthly bond instalments.
Danke was over R21 000 in arrears when the bank took action.
Ex-soccer star Jabu Mahlangu and his wife locked horns with Absa after failing to service their home loan and were almost R100 000 in arrears.
By Meta Mphahlele
mphahlelema@156.38.205.90
