The Bloemfontein Magistrates’ Court has fined a businessman and his company after they were convicted of contravention of the Tax Administration Act.
Magistrate Collen Nenkosie sentenced Itumeleng Ditsoane, 40, to a fine of R10 000 after he was convicted of seven counts of contravention of the Act.
In a statement released on Tuesday, National Prosecuting Authority regional spokesperson Phaladi Shuping said the sentence is wholly suspended for a period of three years on condition that he is not found guilty of a similar offense during the period of suspension.
Ditsoane’s company, Ditsoane Trading and Projects Closed Corporation, was also found guilty on seven counts of contravention of the Act and sentenced to three years wholly suspended on condition that the company is not found guilty of a similar offence during the period of suspension.
The company was also ordered to reimburse the South African Revenue Service (SARS) the amount of outstanding prejudice to the value of R58 886.38 in three equal instalments of R19 628.76 from October until December 2022.
“Ditsoane, being a director of Ditsoane Trading and Projects, defrauded SARS by submitting nil returns for the period March 2018 and September 2019,” said Shuping.
“He misrepresented the trading activities of the company that was in the Information and Communication Technology business, by stating that the company did not trade, whereas it traded and received R5.6 million.
“The company should have paid an amount of R448 000 to SARS.”
The company has already paid back an amount of R389 000 to SARS. – Staff Reporter