"You Can't Dribble SARS": Young Stunna Flaunts Cash Online, Mzansi Warns Him
- Amapiano star Young Stunna shared a clip holding thick wads of cash, which quickly caught social media attention
- A quote-tweet alleged the artist requested cash payments from event organisers to avoid tax scrutiny from SARS
- Netizens flooded the comments with warnings about tax compliance and the safety risks of flashing cash online
- Briefly News spoke to financial advisors Keletso Faku and Mr Mkhize from SOA Financial Services, who explained whether being paid in cash can help entertainers avoid paying tax and how SARS can trace undeclared income
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Amapiano sensation Young Stunna, real name Sandile Msimango, found himself at the centre of a heated online conversation after a clip of him holding thick wads of cash to his ear circulated on X.
The video would have passed without much fuss had it not been for a quote-tweet by user @KiidBlunt, who alleged that the artist had requested gig fees be paid in cash as a way of keeping the South African Revenue Service (SARS) out of the picture. That allegation was enough to set local timelines alight, with users piling on with warnings, jokes, and financial advice the artist did not ask for.
Keletso Faku explained to Briefly News that cash payments are still taxable and said SARS can use information beyond an individual’s bank account to establish where income came from.
“Being paid in cash does not mean you don't have to pay tax. In South Africa, if you earn money from a performance, you have to declare it to SARS whether it was paid into your bank or given to you in cash. Even if there is no bank transaction, SARS has other ways to check. They can look at the records of the promoters who paid you, because they will have it as an expense. They also look at your lifestyle. If you say you earn a small amount but you are seen online with a lot of cash, cars and expensive clothes, SARS can ask where that money came from."
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"If someone asks to be paid in cash on purpose to avoid paying tax, it can become a big problem later. If SARS finds out that the income was not declared, that person will have to pay the tax they owe plus interest and penalties, and in serious cases it can even lead to criminal charges.”
Mr Mkhize from SOA Financial Services agreed that the method of payment does not determine whether income is taxable, explaining that performance income generally still needs to be declared whether it is paid through a bank or in cash.
“No. Being paid in cash does not make the income tax-free. If an artist earns income from performing, whether they receive the money in cash or through a bank transfer, that income generally still needs to be declared to SARS. The important thing is not how the money was received, but where the money came from and whether it is taxable income.”
He added that cash income can still leave a paper trail through promoters, contracts, invoices and accounting records, meaning cash does not automatically make a payment untraceable.
“A cash payment may not appear directly in the artist’s bank account, but that does not mean there is no record of the transaction. SARS can look at information from the promoter, contracts, invoices, accounting records, payment records and other information available during an audit. For example, if a promoter records that they paid an artist R50,000 for a performance, there may be a record of that payment even if the artist received the R50,000 in cash. So, cash does not automatically mean that the income cannot be traced.
"If an entertainer deliberately receives cash and does not declare taxable income because they believe SARS will not find out, that can create a serious tax compliance problem. If SARS later discovers the income, the taxpayer could be liable for the outstanding tax, interest and penalties. Depending on the circumstances, deliberate tax evasion can also have more serious consequences."
Mzansi tells Young Stunna SARS is watching
The overwhelming message from commentators was simple: publicly flexing physical cash while allegedly trying to dodge taxes is a contradiction that does not end well for anyone.
Paper trails and public safety
Beyond the tax debate, some users raised more practical concerns.
@thabz156253 offered a detailed breakdown of why the cash strategy may not hold up:
"He can only dribble SARS if that money wasn't declared n was stored in a room till given to him if it was withdrawn then paid to him it becomes easy to catch him cause there what we call a paper trail every business transaction is traced,"
@KiidBlunt replied:
"A lot of people don't understand this."
@ItsMomoMashhh agreed, writing:
"Flexing stacks of cash on social media and then trying to hide from SARS is crazy work. They are literally watching!"
@ntandosiya25 argued:
"If u are smart enough and have intelligent people on your side, you can. It's called tax avoidance."
@KiidBlunt pushed back, noting:
"Yes, but at the end of the day you'll say pay some tax. The less, the better."
@Lani_SA1011 offered a cautionary personal note:
"My brother learned the hard way."
@KiidBlunt responded with equal candour:
"We all learned the hard way."
City Makoti issued a SARS warning to influencers
Reality TV star City Makoti shared a detailed breakdown of SARS's Voluntary Disclosure Programme on Instagram.
City Makoti previously warned content creators about declaring income and accepting brand deals in exchange for gifts.
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Source: Briefly News
