Sbu Mpisane hits out at MaMkhize over missing millions

Sbu Mpisane, the former husband of businesswoman Shauwn Mkhize, is blaming her for breaching their divorce decree, which instructed her to give him a 50% share of their joint estate, accumulated during their decades-long marriage, which was in the community of property. 

Mpisane is concerned that the value of the estate, including movable and immovable assets and hard cash in Mkhize’s bank accounts, is depreciating because it was being attached by the South African Revenue Service (SARS) due to Mkhize’s alleged violation of tax laws.

According to his close associate, Mpisane, who shot to fame after the revelation of his marriage to Mkhize, is depressed that Mkhize, better known as MaMkhize, was ignoring a court order contained in the decree issued by the Durban High Court during the finalisation of their divorce case on November 18 last year.  

“MaMkhize has been playing hard to get by not respecting the court order by not availing herself for the winding up of the estate.

“This is jeopardising Mr Mpisane's half of the estate with SARS confiscating and selling assets that belonged to both of them when they were still married,” said Mpisane’s associate, who declined to be named.

Mkhize has not responded to questions sent to her, and her lawyer has declined to answer questions. 

It was reported that during the SARS raid at Mkhize’s properties in Durban, Pietermaritzburg, and Johannesburg, expensive assets were seized in preparation to compensate for unpaid tax worth around R40 million. 

Mkhize’s Premier Soccer League team, Royal AM FC, was also attached and sold. 

It was reported that Mkhize forked out R50 million to buy Bloemfontein Celtic, which she later renamed Royal AM. 

During the raid at the team’s camp and training facility, Royal Ranch, in Pietermaritzburg, approximately 10 trucks were involved in the removal of assets, including those that were suitable for loading furniture. 

Other small and heavy-duty tow trucks were brought in to tow away vehicles, including heavy construction vehicles and a number of metal shipping containers. 

Among luxury vehicles repossessed from her were a Lamborghini, a Rolls-Royce, a Mercedes-Benz Maybach, a BMW X6, a Mercedes-Benz-AMG G63, a Toyota Hilux Legend 50, and a Mercedes-Benz S-Class.

It was also reported that her bank accounts were frozen. 

According to bscholarly.com/richest-women-in-south-africa, Mkhize was listed in 2024, when she was already overwhelmed with tax troubles, as the 12th richest woman in South Africa with a net worth $300 million, which is equivalent to more than R5,1 billion in the current exchange rate.

Mpisane’s marriage to Mkhize dated back to 1991, but while he was a Durban metro police officer, he kept his wealth a secret, although he lived a lavish lifestyle.

But his financial status was revealed when The Mercury reported in 2008 that while earning R15,000 a month from the municipality, Mpisane drove a Lamborghini to work every day from his R17 million Durban North mansion. 

It was established that glittering life was due to his enjoyment of government tender proceeds, which his wife earned through Zikhulise.

Mpisane is said to have had no luck in trying to communicate with his former wife about his 50% share of their estate.

“Mr Mpisane's lawyers have tried to engage with MaMkhize to finalise the divorce matter by sharing the assets on equal terms, but she is nowhere to be found.

“She has been reported to be seen in the Kingdom of Swaziland, where she is said to be involved in football,” said Mpisane’s associate.

After losing Royal AM, Mkhize had emerged as the president of Eswatini-based Mbabane Highlanders FC. 

The associate said Mpisane was now contemplating approaching the court to “get a green light on what he needs to do next since MaMkhize is ignoring the court order, which may be a contempt of court”.

“Up to date, the divorce has been finalised, except that MaMkhize, who initiated the divorce in 2018, is nowhere to be found to finish what she started,” he said.

When Mpisane was contacted, he said: “I'm not in a position to respond on the same, hence I did not file for the divorce. Rather, engage MaMkhize, who filed for the divorce, and she must respond to these questions.”

 bongani.hans@inl.co.za