Bellville woman fined R52 000 for over a decade of tax evasion
Bellville taxpayer fined R52 000 for 13 years of tax non-compliance.
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A Bellville woman has been sentenced for failing to submit her personal income tax returns for more than a decade, in a case the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) says should serve as a warning to non-compliant taxpayers.
The Bellville Magistrate’s Court sentenced Fathiyah Barmania to an effective fine of R52 000 or 104 months’ direct imprisonment after she failed to file tax returns for 13 consecutive years.
Barmania registered for income tax with the South African Revenue Service (SARS) in 2005 and submitted returns until the 2010 tax year. She then failed to file any returns from 2011 through to 2023, despite efforts by SARS to secure compliance.
She was charged with 13 counts of contravening the Income Tax Act and the Tax Administration Act. Although she submitted all outstanding returns before her first court appearance, she pleaded guilty.
The court sentenced her to a fine of R6 000 or 12 months’ imprisonment for each count. Of that, R2 000 or four months’ imprisonment per count was suspended for five years as part of a plea and sentence agreement with the State.
This resulted in an effective fine of R52 000 or 104 months’ imprisonment.
NPA regional spokesperson Eric Ntabazalila said the outcome underscored the seriousness of failing to meet tax obligations.
“The NPA welcomes the conviction and sentence and hopes this will send a strong message to all taxpayers that failure to comply with their tax obligations is serious and will have costly consequences,” he said.
He added that the case was particularly significant as it comes at the close of the tax year ending February 28, 2026.
“Non-compliance will not be tolerated. SARS and the NPA will ensure that non-compliant taxpayers are held accountable,” Ntabazalila said.
The NPA’s Specialist Tax Unit has indicated it will continue to pursue similar cases as part of efforts to enforce compliance and protect the integrity of the country’s tax system.