MOHOLO ’ S R2.5m TAX TROUBLES

Disgruntled bookkeeper reveals muso's financial woes

GOSPEL king Solly Moholo was allegedly slapped with a staggering R2.5-million tax bill by the taxman in 2013.

Moholo, who raked in millions of rands in gigs, airplay and album sales, had allegedly not been filing his personal and business tax returns to the South African Revenue Service for many years before then.

His hefty tax bill is likely to skyrocket as his bookkeeper and backing vocalist Stephens Karosi Masombuka, who was reportedly negotiating with SARS to reduce the tax to R300 000, resigned after an acrimonious showdown with the muso over moolah.

Masombuka, a staunch Zion Christ Church member, also quit because of Moholo s defiance of the church s instruction not to wear the church s uniform and sing church songs at festivals.

SARS spokesman Sandile Memela declined to comment, citing confidentiality.

SARS is bound by the confidentiality clause of the Tax Administration Act to not discuss or divulge the affairs of individual tax payers,” said Memela.

Moholo confirmed he owed SARS but declined to reveal the figure. What I know is that we owed VAT and we have been paying and never defaulted. But I don t want to comment on this matter.”

Moholo also denied claims that Masombuka left his company in a huff after a squabble over money.

He just disappeared without telling me where he was going. I didn t fight with him over money, I m surprised he told you that,” he said.

However, he confirmed that he owed Masombuka some ching ching. We have been trying to recover our money from those who owe us, including the ANC. We are still waiting for those payments and when we receive them he will get what is due to him,” said Moholo. The shocking news that the

hit-maker owed SARS was revealed by a livid Masombuka after his clash with Moholo.

Masombuka, who has been working with the crowd puller since 2000, said a frustrated Moholo approached him after receiving the exorbitant bill from SARS in 2013 and asked him to help reduce it.

He told me his bookkeeper was the one who messed him up and asked me to help him. When I asked him where his bookkeeper was, he told me he was dead. I started negotiating with SARS to reduce it to R300 000 and we were about to find each other. But when he failed to pay me, I realised that this man was just using me. I wanted to quit but he convinced me to stay and work with him,” said Masombuka.

The straw that broke the camel s back, he said, was when Moholo failed to pay him his performance fees from December last year.

He owes me over R57 000. I composed some of his songs and he also didn t pay me for that. I need my money. This man doesn t appreciate what I have done for him. I was even helping his kids with homework. I m tired of being his slave.”