/ 13 May 2012

Malema ‘owes millions in tax’

Former ANC Youth League president Julius Malema -- seen here addressing party delegates outside his house in Polokwane
Former ANC Youth League president Julius Malema -- seen here addressing party delegates outside his house in Polokwane

Former African National Congress Youth League president Julius Malema’s Ratanang Family Trust owes R15-million to the SA Revenue Service, the Sunday Independent reported.

Malema’s company, On-Point Engineers — which is partly owned by the trust — owed a further R3-million in tax.

However, Malema told the newspaper he in fact owed Sars R27-million.

“From my own calculations and the figure they sent to my accountant, it is not R15-million. It is R27-million. I do not understand how they arrive at that figure,” he was quoted as saying.

Malema said he was dealing with the issue.

“We knew they [the tax bills] will happen, especially if you take a political decision against the establishment,” he reportedly said.

On Point’s chief executive Lesiba Gwangwa referred queries to his lawyer, who said the company was not aware of the tax bill.

On-Point, which is headed by Gwangwa, is a sister company of SGL, which started out as Segwalo Consulting Engineers in 2002. Segwalo Consulting, SGL and On-Point overlap — they have used the same address and telephone numbers in Polokwane, and Gwangwa has been a director or member of each of the entities over the years.

Malema was a director of SGL in 2009 and 2010, but resigned around the time the public protector investigated the company to see if he had unduly influenced the many tenders awarded to it.

Sexwale’s ‘donation’

According to City Press, Malema’s trust received at least R100 000 from a company partially owned by Human Settlements Minister Tokyo Sexwale.

The payment was reportedly made by Mvelaphanda Resources in December 2010.

“Mvelaphanda Holdings … has always been and is at liberty in terms of the law to make donations to any trusts involved in social development,” Sexwale’s spokesperson Xolani Xundu was quoted as saying.

Mvelaphanda CEO Mikki Xayiya reportedly said the company did not respond to media speculation.

Sexwale had stepped up his campaign to become the next ANC president, City Press and the Sunday Times reported. – Sapa