Pearl Thus admits she owes Sars, but says the eye-watering figure being reported is wrong.
Pearl Thusi. Picture: Instagram
After rumours swirled online that she owes nearly R15 million, Pearl Thusi has stepped forward to address the buzz around her massive South African Revenue Service (Sars) tax bill.
Thusi, whose full name is Sithembile Xola Thusi, has confirmed that she has an outstanding tax matter with Sars. However, she disputes the reported amount and says the figure does not accurately reflect what she owes.
The development puts the spotlight on the financial affairs of one of South Africa’s best-known entertainment personalities.
How the reported R15 million figure is calculated
According to reports from the Sunday Times, Sars has issued Thusi with a final demand relating to an alleged outstanding tax liability.
The reported amount consists of approximately R9.8 million in tax, R5.2 million in interest and a R20,000 penalty. Together, the figures amount to almost R15 million.
Reports indicate that Sars warned that it could take legal steps to recover the alleged debt if it remains unpaid. Such action could include attaching and selling assets.
However, Thusi has challenged the figure circulating publicly.
The actress says she is communicating directly with Sars to resolve the matter. She makes it clear that while she accepts that money is owed, she does not accept the reported R15 million figure as an accurate reflection of her liability.
Thusi joins a list of celebrity tax battles
Thusi is not the first high-profile South African entertainer to face a reported tax dispute with Sars.
DJ Sbu, whose real name is Sbusiso Leope, was reported in 2021 to have faced a Sars bill of about R15 million.
Black Coffee, whose real name is Nkosinathi Maphumulo, was also at the centre of a significant Sars tax dispute. Reports stated that he had initially been assessed for approximately R40 million in arrears income tax. However, the amount he was reportedly required to pay was reduced following discussions with Sars.
Reality television star and businesswoman Shauwn “MaMkhize” Mkhize has similarly faced reported tax disputes involving millions of rand. She has also faced legal proceedings concerning assets.
More recently, Major League DJz member Banele Mbere reportedly received a SARS demand for more than R1.19 million.
What happens next for Pearl Thusi?
Sars has not disclosed details of Thusi’s tax affairs, citing taxpayer confidentiality.
That means the full circumstances behind the reported amount remain private. For Thusi, the key distinction is that she has acknowledged an outstanding tax obligation. However, she is disputing the almost R15 million figure being reported.
An alleged tax debt or Sars demand should also not automatically be interpreted as evidence of tax evasion or criminal wrongdoing.
For now, Thusi says she is engaging with Sars to resolve the matter. Therefore, the final amount owed is subject to the outcome of those discussions.
