Sars officials descend on mansion of Shauwn and S'bu Mpisane

A number of unmarked vehicles have descended upon prominent power couple Shauwn and S'bu Mpisane's plush mansion in Durban North on Wednesday.

The visit by officials from the South African Revenue Services (Sars) is believed to be in relation to an alleged R141m debt owed to them by the couple.

TimesLIVE witnessed various members of the National Intervention Unit (NIU) as well as a number of unidentified people entering the home under the watchful eye of the couple's private security personnel.

A security official said Sbu Mpisane did not want to comment. 

A Sars employee, who could not be quoted, confirmed it was their operation but wouldn't be drawn into the merits of the matter.

Police KZN spokesperson Captain Nqobile Gwala referred queries to Sars.

The couple, who have reportedly separated and are in the process of a pre-divorce maintenance hearing in the high court, previously had their assets seized by Sars in 2016 under the Tax Administration Act.

Among their three-storey mansion in La Lucia, a 54ha farm in the KwaZulu-Natal midlands registered under the Sbusha Trust, a BMW X5, a Dodge Ram and other cars were also seized.

TimesLIVE previously reported the issue pertaining to curatorship was under contention following the appointment of a new curator, instructed to take control of the substantial assets of the couple.

This is part of an ongoing dispute over what they and their Zikhulise Group owe the taxman.

Previous curators Henk Strydom and Tshifhiwa Mudzusi said they were constantly hampered by the Mpisane couple.

The men launched an urgent application in the Durban High Court last month asking that they be relieved of their duties because Sars had not paid them R800,000 for their services.

The application was supported by Sars - which claimed the curators were not doing their jobs. A new proposed curator Cloete Murray of Sechaba Trust confirmed he was happy to take up the appointment “even though Sars might pay me late”.

It was this that raised the ire of Shauwn Mpisane who, in an affidavit before Judge Jacqui Henriques opposing the substitution, saying it appeared Murray was a “hired gun” and would not be objective.