Former Springboks Star Schalk Burger Snr and Welbedacht Wines Sentenced in Paarl Court

• Springboks legend Schalk Burger Snr and his company, Welbedacht Wines (Pty) Ltd, have been convicted and sentenced for failing to submit tax returns
• The 69-year-old appeared in the Paarl Magistrate’s Court this week for the ruling
• The National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) has stated that this case serves as a strong warning to taxpayers during the current filing season

Springboks legend Schalk Burger and his company, Welbedacht Wines, have been convicted and sentenced for failing to submit various tax returns.

The tax returns that he failed to submit include the Value Added Tax, Pay As You Earn and Income Tax.

The 69-year-old appeared in the Paarl Magistrate’s Court on Wednesday, 13 August, where the court imposed both fines and potential prison terms, with portions of the sentence suspended under certain conditions.

National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) regional spokesperson Eric Ntabazalila confirmed that Burger successfully applied to pay part of the fine in instalments.

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See the tweet below:

Burger, a former Western Province and Eastern Province forward, made his provincial debut in 1977 before moving to the Eastern Province the following year. Between 1979 and 1983, he played 72 matches for the union, captaining the side in 40 of them, before returning to Western Province in 1984.

See the tweet below:

The court also heard that Burger’s son, Christiaan Francois Burger, was convicted and sentenced in July for failing to submit his personal income tax returns between 2011 to 2022.

Watch the clip below:

“With the filing season for income tax currently underway, this is a clear message that failure by individuals or juristic persons to file their returns will not be tolerated,” Ntabazalila said, warning that such offences harm the fiscus. “As the sentences in these cases indicate, non-compliance will be met with severe fines, possible imprisonment, and suspended penalties.”

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Sports personalities caught in tax issues.

Kaizer Chiefs striker Gastón Sirino was slapped with a staggering R6.1 million tax bill by the South African Revenue Service (SARS) after allegedly failing to settle his income tax obligations.

According to court documents filed at the Johannesburg High Court, SARS is pursuing a default judgment against the Uruguayan forward, formerly of Mamelodi Sundowns, for tax debts amounting to R5.9 million.

The figure has since ballooned to R6.1 million following the imposition of administrative penalties totalling R16,000 and more than R224,000 in interest.

With the likes of now-expelled Royal AM, which has found itself in trouble with SARS over unpaid taxes, leading to its curatorship.

Briefly News previously reported that Kaizer Chiefs football manager, Bobby Motaung, was also hit with SARS tax claims totalling R90 million, highlighting ongoing financial controversies surrounding football figures in South Africa.

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Shauwn Mkhize taken to court over club ownership

Briefly News previously reported that Durban businesswoman Shauwn “MaMkhize” Mkhize is facing a fresh legal challenge in Eswatini, this time concerning her involvement with a Premier Soccer League club.

The dispute has emerged just weeks after Mkhize invested in Mbabane Highlanders AM FC, one of Eswatini’s prominent football sides.

Former club officials have raised questions about the legitimacy of her ownership, suggesting there may be unresolved issues surrounding the club’s leadership.

Proofreading by Kelly Lippke, copy editor at Briefly.co.za.

Source: Briefly News