State can't afford undue delays after Sonia Mbele's second no-show in tax-evasion matter: NPA

Sonia Mbele failed to appear in the Johannesburg magistrate's court again on Thursday for allegedly failing to submit tax returns to Sars.

The actress and businesswoman and her co-accused, Yolisa Gqunta and Rebone Sesing, who are directors of Real Housewives of South Africa (Pty) Ltd, face 42 counts of not filing company income tax from 2019 to 2022, not filing Value Added Tax (VAT) returns from 2020 to 2022 and not filing Pay-As-You-Earn (PAYE) from 2020 until 2022.

On September 27 Mbele missed her first court appearance, submitting a medical certificate that booked her off until October 3. However, the magistrate deemed the document unsatisfactory.  

Mbele's co-accused said they were not on speaking terms with her and did not know her whereabouts.

When the case returned to court on Thursday, Mbele again sent a medical certificate.

“We raised concerns with the court as the prosecution because we cannot have undue delays. The court then marked the postponement final. We hope that on October 20 all accused will be present in court so the matter can proceed. The criminal justice system cannot be held at ransom,” said the National Prosecuting Authority's Phindi Mjonondwane. 

“Where there are legitimate and serious health concerns, we as the prosecution have requested that those should be declared to the court so we know whether these are legitimate and serious health concerns that necessitate this matter should be delayed.”

After the September court date Mbele's spokesperson, Thato Malindi, said: “In 2019 Sonia Mbele left Rhosa (Real Housewives of South Africa) ... Now she is forced to attend these proceedings without any knowledge of the company still being operational.”