When South Africa’s tax collector shows up at your doorstep, reality tends to hit harder than any Instagram post or luxury yacht clap-back. For businesswoman and reality star MaMkhize, the spotlight has shifted from champagne pop-ups and designer bags to a stark notice from the taxman.
In late 2025, the South African Revenue Service (SARS) prepared for a third auction this year of its assets, this time involving 363 bottles of high-end liquor. The aim is clear: recoup more than R40 million in unpaid tax.
Proud to Fab, Now Facing A Hammer
In past months, MaMkhize’s empire of flash and flair has been steadily dismantled. Earlier in the year, her fleet of 14 luxury vehicles was sold off at SARS-mandated auctions. On social media, she continued to project “lioness mode” with leather boots and cowboy hats, but the underlying story is far less glamorous.
The latest asset to be targeted: rare bottles of champagne, cognac, and boutique wine that once signalled glamour and excess. Among the whopping 363 bottles listed for auction are global luxury brands like Veuve Clicquot, Moët & Chandon, and Luc Belaire. A liquor collection is now cast as collateral in a tax saga.
Why This Resonates With Mzansi
South Africa knows excess and accountability both too well. MaMkhize’s luxury lifestyle once represented prosperity accessible to Black businesswomen in a post-apartheid economy. Now the glitz is clouded by the ever-present question: what happens when visibility meets liability?
On platforms like X and Instagram, users are divided. Some cheer “finally,” pointing to a long-standing tax debt that eclipsed R37 million earlier in the year. Others caution that she still retains vast wealth hidden away. Regardless of stance, this auction taps into a deeper cultural storyline: how wealth, visibility, and tax obligations interact in South Africa.
A Third Auction, A Clear Message
This isn’t her first asset trim. Earlier in 2025, her designer bag collection and a Lamborghini Urus fetched millions at auction. Now, the liquor collection is next—scheduled between 25 and 27 November, first-come, first-served, with a R20 000 deposit required for bidders. The tactic is unmistakable: liquidate luxury to satisfy liability.
For business watchers, the message is twofold: no asset is too small when the tax liability looms, and public spectacle is now part of the recovery process.
What It Means Going Forward
The premium-liquor lot may fetch a figure far below the unpaid tax, but the symbolism is potent. MaMkhize still occupies centre stage in South Africa’s conversation about privilege, enterprise, and accountability. Whether this auction marks the closing of a chapter or simply another opening remains uncertain.
For everyday South Africans, the lesson is less about handbags or bottles and more about the service behind enterprise: taxes. When the dust settles on the 363 bottles, the public will still ask whether the bigger decisions—around business structure, governance, and transparency—are also being addressed.
Source: Briefly News
Featured Image: Moneyweb
