Ugandan socialite and business woman Zari Hassan has been hit with R5-million (ug.sh 1 billion) income tax default judgement from a Johannesburg based court in South Africa.
She has been ordered to pay the money or have her properties seized.
According to Sunday world, a south African based online news outlet, Zari has for more than one year failed to pay her income tax for the businesses that she operates in the country.
According to court documents, Zari initially owed the South African Revenue Service 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.
Before resorting to legal action, SARS issued a final letter of demand to Zari on August 9 last year, instructing her to either settle the debt or arrange a payment plan within 10 days. The taxman warned that failure to comply would lead to asset attachment and auctioning.
“According to the records of the South African Revenue Service, you have failed to pay your tax debt for one or more tax years and tax periods … You are requested to make full payment within 10 days from the date of this letter of demand,” read the letter.
However, despite these warnings, Zari did not meet the tax authority’s demands, forcing SARS to seek relief from the court.
With the default judgment in place, SARS now has the legal authority to seize and sell Zari’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.
Other South African celebrities and public figures that have been hit with tax penalties as result of failure to pay their taxes include television and radio icon Bonang Matheba, slain rapper Kiernan “AKA” Forbes, retired Kaizer Chiefs goalkeeper Itumeleng Khune and Amakhosi team manager Bobby Motaung,
Also caught in legal tax snares in the past were internationally acclaimed DJ and producer Black Coffee, pop chanteuse Makhadzi, and award-winning actor Rapulana Seiphemo, among others.
