Actress Pearl Thusi may be used to having cameras following her, but the latest spotlight on the Queen Sono star is coming from the taxman, with SARS claiming that she owes close to R15 million.
The South African Revenue Service has issued a final demand warning Thusi that her assets could be sold if the amount is not settled or if she does not pursue one of the remedies available to her within 10 business days.
The demand gives the actress a short period to respond. She can settle the alleged debt, apply to pay it in instalments, ask for the debt to be suspended if she intends to dispute it, or apply for a compromise that could reduce part of the amount owed.
The documents accompanying the demand show that most of the amount is made up of personal income tax and interest. They reflect personal income tax of almost R9.8 million and interest of R5.2 million. A separate administrative penalty of R20 000 is also listed.
Together, the figures come to slightly more than R15 million, although the demand has been described as a claim of close to R15 million. The documents do not explain what led to the tax debt, identify the tax years involved or specify the periods in which the alleged amounts accumulated.
They also do not identify which of Thusi’s assets could potentially be targeted if the demand is not resolved. The documents do not state the value or nature of any property belonging to the actress.
The tax demand does not mean that SARS has already seized or sold any of Thusi’s assets. It is a warning that enforcement action could follow if the matter is not settled, challenged or otherwise dealt with through the available processes.
Thusi, however, disputes the figure contained in the documents. She told the Sunday Times that she has been engaging directly with SARS and said the amount quoted is incorrect.
“While I acknowledge that there is an amount owing, the figure quoted is grossly incorrect and therefore misleading.
“I take my responsibilities as a taxpayer seriously and remain committed to complying with the law and resolving this matter responsibly.”
The actress also made it clear that she does not intend to discuss the details of her engagement with the revenue service publicly.
She said whatever issues she may or may not have with SARS “are not for public consumption”.
SARS spokesperson Siphithi Sibeko said taxpayer confidentiality prevented the revenue service from discussing Thusi’s matter. The revenue service therefore did not provide details about the alleged debt, the tax periods involved or the steps it may take next.
The dispute now places Thusi in a difficult position. SARS has issued a formal demand, while the actress says the figure is grossly wrong and misleading. The documents show that an amount is being claimed, but they do not set out the full background to the disagreement or explain how the final figure was calculated.
The demand provides Thusi with several possible routes. She can pay the amount demanded, request a payment arrangement if she cannot settle it immediately, apply for a suspension if she plans to challenge the debt, or ask SARS to accept a reduced amount through a compromise application.
The 10-business-day period means the matter could move quickly if no response is received. A failure to act could expose her to further collection steps, including the possible sale of assets, depending on the process followed by SARS and the outcome of any dispute or application.
The documents do not say whether Thusi has already lodged an objection or applied for a formal arrangement. Her statement confirms only that she has been engaging directly with SARS and remains committed to resolving the matter responsibly.
The actress is one of South Africa’s best-known entertainment figures. Her public profile has grown through television, film and international productions, making any dispute involving her finances likely to attract intense public interest.
Thusi is known for playing Patricia Kopong in the BBC and HBO comedy-drama series The No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency. She also played Dayana Mampasi in the American thriller series Quantico and appeared as Samkelo in the romance film Catching Feelings.
In 2020, she took the leading role in Queen Sono, Netflix’s first African original series. The action drama placed her at the centre of a major international production and introduced her to audiences far beyond South Africa.
She returned to South Africa in April 2021 after spending time abroad filming the second season of Wu Assassins. Her career has continued to include work across the local and international entertainment industries.
Thusi is also set to return to international television in the second season of BET’s Average Joe. She stars alongside American actor Deon Cole. The comedy-drama also features South African actor Katlego Lebogang and Nigerian actor Hakeem Kae-Kazim.
The tax dispute comes as Thusi prepares for that next stage of her career. Her response suggests that she does not accept the figure presented by SARS, but she has not publicly disclosed what amount she believes is correct or why the revenue service’s calculation is allegedly wrong.
SARS, for its part, is unable to discuss the matter because of taxpayer confidentiality rules. That leaves the public with only the demand documents and Thusi’s brief response, without the detailed explanation that would show how the disagreement began.
The difference between acknowledging that an amount may be owing and disputing the figure is important. Thusi has accepted that there is an amount owing but says the figure of close to R15 million is grossly incorrect. The documents list personal income tax, interest and an administrative penalty, but do not reveal the tax periods or the specific circumstances behind those entries.
The coming days will determine whether the matter is resolved privately, challenged through the available tax processes or followed by further enforcement action. Until then, no details have been provided about the assets that could be affected or whether any sale process has begun.
For Thusi, the immediate priority will be to deal with the final demand within the 10-business-day period. For SARS, the case remains confidential. For the public, the headline figure is already attracting attention, even though the full story behind the disputed amount remains known only to the taxpayer and the revenue service.
What is clear is that the actress is facing a serious tax demand while insisting that the amount being reported does not accurately reflect her position. The next move will determine whether the dispute remains a private engagement between Thusi and SARS or escalates into a public battle over one of the biggest tax claims to hit a South African entertainment personality.
