Johannesburg- Former Eskom CEO Matshela Koko’s wife has been slapped with a devastating R48-million tax bill.
Elizabeth Mosima Koko now faces the possibility of losing her properties as the taxman threatens to attach and sell them to offset her blood-curdling bill. News of Mosima’s running batt les with the South African Revenue Service (SARS) came to light when the taxman obtained a default judgment against her at the Joburg High Court last week.
According to court papers, which we have seen, Mosima owed SARS over R35.2-million in unpaid personal income tax but the amount ballooned to R48.8-million after over R13.6-million interests accrued on the levied debt.
SARS took the matter to court after Mosima ignored a final letter of demand sent to her on August 30 last year.
“According to the records of the South African Revenue Service , you have failed to sett le in full your outstanding tax debt in the amount of R475 815 409.44,” reads the SARS letter. In the letter, SARS however advised her to apply for permission to pay the bill in instalments .
She was also asked whether it was possible for her to obtain a third-party loan to settle the debt to avoid a civil judgment and warrant of execution to sell her assets.
SARS further advised Mosima to apply for a reduction of the amount owed if she was experiencing financial hard
ships. But it appears SARS decided to apply for judgment after its counsel and requests fell on deaf ears. Mosima hogged media headlines in 2017 when the Sunday Times reported that her daughter Choma’s company Ukwakhiwa Investments was paid at least R15.1-million by Impulse International, which scored contracts worth about R1-billion from Eskom.
This after she joined Impulse on April 1 2016. At the time Koko, who was the power utility’s head of generations, said he did not know his stepdaughter was a director at Impulse. The newspaper also reported that between November 2016 and August 2017, Ukwakhiwa paid R11.5-million to High Echelon Trading 94, where her mother Mosima was the sole director. A further R1.2-million was transferred to Turnkey Finishings, a property development business owned by Mosima.
Attempts to solicit comment from Mosima drew a blank as her cellphone rang unanswered. She also failed to respond to text messages .
Mosima’s husband, Koko, has been implicated in state capture during his tenure at Eskom, and his association with the infamous Gupta family has been a subject of intense scrutiny by the Zondo Commission.
His alleged role in the massive capture of Eskom by the Guptas is expected to be dealt with in detail when the commission releases its third instalment of its State Capture Report.
Mosima couldnt be reached for comment at the time of going to print. Contacted for comment, her husband Koko said: “My name is Matshela Koko my bro. I’m not a spokesperson for anybody. I wish you well, quote me on that.”
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