What car troubles?! MaMkhize's story is one of contrasts — unapologetic luxury juxtaposed with legal battles...
Former Royal AM owner Shauwn ‘MaMkhize’ Mkhize has returned to the spotlight. Pictures: Instagram/ @kwa_mammkhize
Shauwn “MaMkhize” Mkhize is no stranger to the limelight. For most of this year, the businesswoman and former reality TV star has however been conspicuous in her absence from Mzansi’s glitzy celebrity scene due to her considerable financial woes.
The controversial socialite reportedly owes the taxman a staggering R37.9 million. Her ongoing tussle with the the South African Revenue Service (Sars) came to a head last week with the seizure and upcoming auction of her renowned luxury car collection.
The latest blow to her empire follows the sale of her PSL football club, Royal AM, to cover some of her debt.
MaMkhize mingles in mink…
A defiant MaMakhize has seemingly brushed off her money troubles, rising from the ashes in a flash of fur and sharing glimpses of a luxurious “girls’ treat” getaway.
True to her signature flair for opulence, the KwaZulu-Natal tycoon was recently spotted donning a flamboyant mink fur coat and Gucci cap at the Basketball Africa League event at Pretoria’s SunBet Arena.
Joining her in the courtside seats at the Al Ahli Tripoli vs Petro de Luanda final, were music sensation Zee Nxumalo and former Miss South Africa Shudufhadzo Musida.
‘Girls treat’: MaMkhize shares roaring time with friends
MaMkhize also headed Instagram to flaunt some of her recent “soft life” spoils at the Shekinah Lion and Game Lodge.
She labelled the post featuring her getaway with actress Tarina Patel and Zimbabwean businesswoman and philanthropist Zodwa Mkandla, “Girls treat❤️❤️❤️❤️“.
The Vaalwater lodge boasts exclusive predator suites that provide visitors with the opportunity to get up close and personal with its roaming lions and other wild cats.
A stay with the King of the Jungle and his feline friends will cost you R12,500 per couple per night (Monday to Thursday), and R15,000 per couple per night (Friday to Sunday), according to the game lodge’s official Instagram account.
‘There’s a lion in every woman’ – MaMkize
MaMkhize captioned a video clip of her stay in the Pfamoni Sahara Suite:
“There’s a lion in every woman who refuses to give up. We rise together✨ Keep shining, your win is unfolding.”
Spa day in Versace gowns?
The pampering continued this week with MaMkhize and her girlfriends treating themselves to a luxury spa treat in the comfort of her home.
In a video clip of the girls’ home spa day posted on Instagram, all three ladies lounge around in Versace gowns, which retail from R10,900 up to R24,200, according to the Versace website…
The Sars crackdown: MaMkhize’s luxury fleet on auction
MaMkhize’s financial woes escalated in 2023 when Sars issued a R37.9 million tax bill, followed by a preservation order on her assets, including Royal AM Football Club.
By November 2024, The Citizen reported on the raid by Sars and the South African Police Service (SAPS) at her La Lucia mansion in Durban, during which luxury vehicles, over 40 firearms, as well as other assets, were seized.
The tax debt stems from unpaid taxes linked to Royal AM, which MaMkhize purchased in 2021 and transformed into a Premier Soccer League powerhouse.
Auction details
Last week, Sars announced the auction of 13 luxury vehicles and a Royal AM-branded Mercedes-Benz Maybach V-Class bus to recoup the debt.
The auction, scheduled from 27 June to 2 July, is managed by Bidders Choice and requires a R50 000 refundable registration fee.
The collection includes rare gems like:
- 2022 Mercedes-Benz S680 Maybach Edition 100: One of only 100 units produced globally, valued at approximately R5.6 million.
- 2020 Bentley Continental GTC: A symbol of celebrity excess, worth around R4 million.
- 2022 BMW i7 xDrive60: BMW’s cutting-edge electric flagship.
Royal AM’s downfall
MaMkhize’s acquisition of Bloemfontein Celtic in 2021, rebranded as Royal AM, was marked by extravagance — think helicopter landings and luxury locker rooms.
However, the club’s failure to meet tax obligations led to curatorship and its eventual auction.
The PSL’s decision to expel Royal AM in April 2025 marked the end of a turbulent chapter, leaving players as free agents and stakeholders questioning MaMkhize’s business acumen.
History of controversy: MaMkhize, Sbu Mpisane and son
This isn’t MaMkhize’s first brush with financial troubles.
Her 2016 divorce from Sbu Mpisane was accompanied by a Sars seizure of vehicles, including a Porsche and a Rolls-Royce Ghost.
Her reality show, Kwa Ma’Mkhize, and her book, My World, My Rules, have kept her in the public eye, but controversies around unpaid salaries and allegations of favouritism toward her son, Andile Mpisane, have drawn criticism over the years.
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