Flamboyant businesswoman Shauwn “MaMkhize” Mkhize was conspicuously absent as her prized fleet of 14 vehicles were individually sold in Sars-sanctioned auctions in Durban and Johannesburg this week.
It is not clear if the auctions raised enough money to pay off her R37m tax bill. But the undisputed queen of bling and former Royal AM soccer boss is planning a comeback if her social media — which went dark for several months after her run in with the tax man — is to be believed.
She has resumed her online presence and in one of her Instagram posts this week she commented: “Surrounded by peace, trees, water and quiet strength. Moving in my own rhythm.”
The cars on auction were:
- a Mercedes-Benz S680 Maybach Edition 100;
- Bentley Continental GTC;
- Mercedes-Benz G-Wagen ONYX;
- BMW i7 xDrive 60;
- Mercedes-Benz V-Class Maybach Bus;
- BMW 750i;
- BMW GT 640i;
- BMW X1;
- BMW X6 xDrive 40d;
- Toyota Hilux Double Cab;
- Toyota Hilux Single Cab;
- Mercedes-Benz Marcopolo G7 Tour Bus;
- Nissan NP300 Hardbody; and
- a Volkswagen Crafter.
The vehicles, many still bearing Royal AM branding, were auctioned to recover R37m in unpaid taxes. The auction is the latest in the revenue service's bid to recoup unpaid taxes.
Yet even after the hammer fell several times, MaMkhize’s garage is far from empty. She reportedly retains a fleet of ultra-luxury vehicles — Rolls-Royces, Ferraris, Lamborghinis, and more — still tucked away in various trusts and entities. Some of the cars are worth up to R16m each, with the full retained fleet estimated to exceed R100m.
In 2024 Sars obtained a preservation order and search-and-seizure warrant from the Durban high court to “prevent the dissipation of assets and gather evidence related to alleged tax evasion”.
On November 26 last year, raids were conducted on her properties in Durban and Johannesburg and the vehicles confiscated.
In January Royal AM football club, MaMkhize’s pride and joy, was placed under curatorship also due to unpaid taxes.
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While an auction to sell the club was held in March, the agreed payment failed to materialise on time from the successful bidder and the club remains under curatorship. The club has been expelled from the Premier Soccer League (PSL).
On Friday, Sars spokesperson Siphithi Sibeko told Sunday Times he could not comment on this week’s auction as the matter had been handed over to curator Jaco Venter. He said he wasn't aware the luxury vehicle auctions were scheduled for this week.
But Pieter Geldenhuys of Bidders Choice, who conducted the auction, confirmed 14 vehicles were sold on Wednesday. Venter told the Sunday Times they are yet to get details on the outcome of the auction including how much money had been raised.
MaMkhize has made no secret she is in 'lioness mode' and is stepping out to reclaim 'myworldmyrules' — without any reference to her tax troubles
Social media platforms lit up with commentary once the auction went live. Many users felt the sale was a long-overdue reckoning for someone they felt had flaunted her wealth while dodging tax obligations.
Comments ranged from “She made her own bed” to “Her riches come from our hard-earned tax”, reflecting widespread frustration with perceived elite impunity.
Others accused critics of jealousy or gender bias, with one user noting: “Some will say you’re petty jealous of her success”.
MaMkhize, who has 3-million followers on Instagram, made her public comeback with front-row seats at the recent Basketball Africa League finals three weeks ago, resplendent in a full-length fur coat.
Since then she has posted glimpses into her life on social media draped in Balenciaga, sipping champagne with friends before heading into a Greenside luxury spa and, most recently, donning leather boots and a cowboy hat.
MaMkhize has made no secret she is in “lioness mode” and is stepping out to reclaim “myworldmyrules” — without any reference to her tax troubles.
The daughter of ANC veteran and anti-apartheid activist Florence Mkhize, she inherited her mother's construction business and renamed it Zikhulise Construction. The business quickly secured multimillion-rand housing tenders from the eThekwini and KwaDukuza municipalities to build thousands of low-cost RDP houses across Durban.
Her close ties to ANC-aligned networks and post-apartheid leadership helped her land lucrative contracts, propelling her into the ranks of South Africa’s most visible black businesswomen. Over time, Zikhulise expanded into transport, auto recovery and trading.
MaMkhize made a dazzling entrance into the PSL in 2021 with the high-profile acquisition of top-flight Bloemfontein Celtic, reportedly for between R40m and R50m.
She did not respond to queries.
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