Socialite and businesswoman Shauwn Mkhize, better known as MaMkhize, is once again in trouble with the law following the discovery of an arsenal of weapons, enough to start a mini-war, at her posh La Lucia mansion in Durban.
The arsenal, which Sunday World has learnt includes high-calibre rifles and pistols, was reportedly discovered during a raid by a crack team of police and officials from the South African Revenue Service (Sars) on Tuesday morning.
This publication understands the raid formed part of the ongoing war between MaMkhize and the taxman over an unsettled tax bill of close to R40-million.
Sunday World has been informed through sources with details of MaMkhize’s affairs that she was not at home during the raid. However, her daughter Sibahle Mpisane and daughter-in-law Tamia were caught in the crossfire.
“When police and Sars officials arrived at the place, they found a security guard guarding the property. They then conducted the search and seizure and
initially found six guns inside the boot of a car and others hidden under a blanket.
“The security guard couldn’t provide answers as to who were the owners of the guns because they had no licences,” said an insider not authorised to speak to the media.
To their shock, further into their search, police stumbled upon a safe, which held even more surprises.
Tamia was allegedly ordered to provide a key to the safe. She allegedly denied knowledge of the key’s whereabouts.
Sunday World understands that sensing there could be incriminating evidence in the safe, the team of raiders ordered a locksmith accompanying them to crack the safe open.
“When police went to the garage, there was a safe, which was not mounted. The locksmith opened the safe and they found around 40 to 50 rifles and shotguns, including ammunition,” said the source.
Our deepthroat also revealed that a shaken Tamia was subsequently taken in for questioning by the cops. She was released on the same day.
A source close to the raid confirmed to Sunday World that the confiscated guns and other exhibits were sent to a police station in the city.
“There were quite a number of firearms. They will be taken for ballistic tests to ascertain whether they have been used to commit any crime.
“The explanation we have so far is that the guns belong to some security company,” explained the source.
The source also stated that the owner of the security company will have to explain why the guns were kept on a residential property instead of a business as per the provisions of the Firearms Regulations Act.
“They had no licences and they were being kept almost hidden. There are many questions to be asked. Ideally, the firearms should have been declared to the Saps for safekeeping.
“The owner of the property will also have to explain what were the guns doing on the property,” said the police official.
Sunday World has also established that the raid was not only conducted at MaMkhize’s La Lucia home but at other properties believed to be linked to her.
The properties include a Sandhurst property in Johannesburg, a farm in Pietermaritzburg and another four-storey house in Enkanyezini near Pietermaritzburg under the Mkhambathini local municipality.
The taxman confirmed that the Durban High Court had granted a preservation order for a search-and-seizure warrant in the tax matter with MaMkhize, which dates back to 2018.
MaMkhize faces further woes as her Betway Premiership club Royal AM faces sanction by world footballing body Fifa for failing to pay former players Samir Nurkovic and Ricardo Nascimento.
The Court of Arbitration for Sport recently ruled in favour of Nurkovic in a breach of contract case, in which Royal AM owes the player R15-million.
KwaZulu-Natal police spokesperson Colonel Robert Netshiunda said they could not comment on the firearms issue because it was not their operation.
MaMkhize and Xaba did not respond to Sunday World’s requests for comment yesterday.
