SARS may probe Royal AM owners, after players given cash ON THE PITCH

One thing we know about Royal AM and their high-profile owners is that they work hard, and play even harder: So when the team snatched a dramatic last-minute winner in a PSL derby on Saturday, the players suspected that big celebrations were afoot – but few could have predicted they’d receive cash payments while on the pitch.

Royal AM players receive ‘cash bonuses’ while on the field

Immediately after their 2-1 win over Maritzburg United on Sunday, Shauwn Mkhize, her son Andile Mpisane and other officials entered the field with hard cash – as neutrals assumed that player bonuses were being paid live on-air.

The scene divided opinion among the fans on social media, and the cash was believed to be a reward for Royal AM players as they had just won the match. However, Mnisi said it was R10 000 bets that the players and owner Mkhize participated in as part of raising funds to buy soccer kits to different football academies in Maritzburg.

Shauwn Mkhize may face SARS investigation for cash stunt

TV cameras picked up the flashing of the cash – as did DA shadow minister Dean Macpherson. He used this opportunity to question a R16 million sponsorship deal between Royal AM and the City of eThekwini, arguing that the billionaire Shauwn Mkhize ‘does not need to take municipal money’. Macpherson didn’t stop there, either.

The senior opposition figure confirmed that they will refer Royal AM to SARS, for their ‘brown envelope stunt’ on Saturday. The way he sees it, those cash payments will probably have to be declared to the Revenue Service:

“The R16 million ‘sponsorship’ by the municipality is far in excess of any other established eThekwini club in the PSL and reeks of wasteful expenditure when so many people in the city have no access to housing, sanitation, and electricity.”

“The DA will also refer Mkhize’s on-air antics this weekend after beating Maritzburg United, when she and her son were filmed dishing out wads of money to her players from large envelopes, to the South African Revenue Service (SARS). The simple question is, was this money declared to SARS by her and the players?”

“Shauwn Mkhize is hardly short of money. She is a billionaire who recently bought a R16 million Rolls Royce for herself and she was able to stump up R50 million to buy the reincarnated version of Royal AM. She doesn’t need this money from eThekwini and should publicly reject the sponsorship in favour of football development in the city.”

Dean Macpherson

The DA will also refer Mkhize’s on-air antics this weekend after beating Maritzburg United, when her and her son were filmed dishing out wads of money to her players from large envelopes to the South African Revenue Service.

— DA KZN (@DA_KZN) October 5, 2021