SARS senior advocate Coreth Naudé narrowly escaped an assassination attempt after being shot three times in Durban on Thursday, 18 July.
The incident has fueled rampant media speculation involving businesswoman Shauwn Mkhize, also known as MaMkhize.
Reports indicate that Naudé was representing SARS in a tax inquiry involving Royal AM CEO MaMkhize.
The shooting occurred a month after MaMkhize was accused of owing over R37 million in unpaid taxes.
In a statement, SARS condemned the attack, revealing that Naudé was shot in her car after arriving at her hotel in Umhlanga, Durban.
Commissioner Edward Kieswetter described the shooting as a deliberate attempt to intimidate court officers and undermine the State’s authority.
Coreth Naudé, a senior advocate representing SARS in a tax inquiry involving Shauwn Mkhize known as MaMkhize, narrowly escaped an assassination attempt on Thursday afternoon.
Coreth Naudé was shot three times outside her Durban hotel.
She's in intensive care.
The attack near… pic.twitter.com/ep8HpO7wEn
— Vehicle Trackers (@VehicleTrackerz) July 19, 2024
He emphasized that SARS would not be deterred by such acts of crime and cowardice.
SARS Media Statement: Assassination attempt of Advocate Naude
The Commissioner for the South African Revenue Service Mr Edward Kieswetter has condemned in the strongest possible terms the attempted assassination of Advocate Coreth Naude… https://t.co/QB59GX6lRu
— SA Revenue Service (@sarstax) July 18, 2024
Lawyers for Human Rights South Africa also condemned the attack, stressing that no individual or group is above the law and calling for those responsible to be held accountable.
📢 We will not tolerate attempts to intimidate and harm those who are involved in upholding the law! We call for #justice for Adv Coreth Naude. pic.twitter.com/ePGCl7WPaS
— Lawyers for Human Rights (@LHR_SA) July 19, 2024
Despite a lack of factual evidence, many on social media have linked MaMkhize to the shooting.
According to The Citizen, MaMkhize was hit with a R37 million tax bill related to her business empire.
SARS filed a court application to seize 13 high-end vehicles owned by Shandi Trust and Royal AM football club, in which MaMkhize holds a majority stake.
Additionally, she was ordered to pay R12 million personally to SARS.
In an April interview with Carte Blanche, MaMkhize defended her luxurious lifestyle, stating that tax matters are personal and refusing to divulge details.
In 2012, IOL reported that MaMkhize faced 119 counts of tax fraud for submitting fake invoices, blaming her bookkeeper who pleaded guilty.
She was also charged with corruption for allegedly trying to tamper with evidence in a tax fraud case, but all charges were later withdrawn.
MaMkhize remains a controversial figure, and the recent shooting of Coreth Naudé has only intensified public scrutiny surrounding her tax issues.