All eyes on MaMkhize: Construction mafia, SARS officer ‘hit’, and more

Is the past finally catching up with businesswoman and ‘tenderpreneur’ MaMkhize? Here’s why many think so…

Controversial businesswoman Shauwn Mhize – also known as MaMkhize – has been thrust into the spotlight once again following a damning report by KwaZulu-Natal Police Commissioner, Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi.

And many South Africans are “connecting the dots” about the flamboyant woman’s sketchy past, which includes bribery, corruption, and tax evasion.

Some are even calling out the reality TV star and former PSL club boss for being allegedly linked to the assassination attempt of a SARS official, who had been investigating her case.

MAMKHIZE IN THE SPOTLIGHT: SOUTH AFRICA PINPOINTS PAST COMMENTS

On Monday, 7 July, MaMkhize topped the X trends list after KZN police commissioner Nhlanhla Mkwanazi and Police Portfolio Committee chairperson linked her relations to alleged corrupt businessman Vusimuzi “Cat” Matlala and Minister of Police, Senzo Mchunu, who has been accused of having ties to the underworld.

Here’s a look behind the headlines…

“Construction mafia”

In August last year, MaMkhize – the CEO of the Zikhulise Group, which deals in the construction, cleaning, maintenance, and transport sectors –  confessed to “collaborating with construction mafia”.

Speaking to the SABC from a Women in Construction event in Durban, she said: “As much as there are construction mafias, it is very important to collaborate. I’ve been in the industry for more than 20 years, with the construction mafia involved.

“But what I do is I sit down [with them]. It’s a cry for help. You need to understand what they need, and you collaborate. I’ve done it. I’ve built quite a lot of people that are coming from construction mafias, which I call business forums”.

She continued: “They’ve never given me problems. We must look at them as enemies. We must listen, hear them out, and meet each other halfway. That’s how I’ve done it”.

Hit on SARS official?

A year ago, MaMkhize’s name trended in relation to an assassination attempt on a SARS advocate assigned to a R37 million investigation into her companies.

In a statement, SARS revealed that Coreth Naudé was shot three times in her car after she arrived at her hotel in Umhlanga, Durban.

Commissioner Edward Kieswetter said the shooting was a deliberate assassination attempt on their official, who had been investigating high-profile cases.

According to EWN, this included MaMkhize’s unpaid taxes saga.

THAT Carte Blanche interview

A few months earlier, MaMhize appeared in an interview with Carte Blanche, which she later stormed out of.

The businesswoman was questioned about benefiting from over R1 billion in government tenders over a period of 20 years.

However, MaMkhize denied that any of her business had materialised from her political connections, particularly from her late mom, Florence Mkhize, an ANC stalwart.

She said, “Why can’t people look at me as a young black woman who has worked very hard, who has pushed boundaries and opened doors?”

She added: “I will never entertain the noise of the world. I live in my own world with my own rules”.

When asked why she had evaded tax amid a luxurious lifestyle, the 49-year-old seemingly became defensive.

“Tax matters are personal. I don’t have to divulge what my problems were”.

CORRUPTION, FRAUD, AND BRIBERY CHARGES

Last year,  MaMkhize was slapped with a R37 million tax bill relating to her business empire.

As a result, SARS filed a court application to seize 13 high-end vehicles owned by Shandi Trust and Royal AM football club,  of which the reality TV star holds a majority stake. The cars have since been auctioned off.

The publication added that MaMkhize was also ordered to pay R12 million in her personal capacity to SARS.
MaMkhize has been linked to alleged ties with criminally accused Vusimusi Cat Matlala and Minister of Police Senzo Mchunu. Images via X

During a police raid of her La Lucia home last year, law enforcement uncovered a cache of licensed firearms and ammunition, allegedly belonging to tenderpreneur Vusi “Cat” Matlala.

In 2012, IOL reported that MaMkhize faced 119 counts of tax fraud, amounting to up to R5 million, for submitting fake invoices. She later blamed the oversight on her bookkeeper, Kishal Reddy, who pleaded guilty while she pleaded not guilty.

According to Mail & Guardian, she was also charged with corruption for allegedly trying to persuade a state witness in one of her tax fraud cases to tamper with evidence.

All charges were later withdrawn, and Shauwn walked out of the court as a free woman.

DO YOU BELIEVE MAMKHIZE WILL FINALLY BE CONVICTED BY THE LONG ARM OF THE LAW?