Durban - It’s just past 8pm and KwaZulu-Natal’s most famous couple are not celebrating the court victory in a way expected of them. There is no lavish party or Champagne popping. Instead, Shauwn is curled up on her yellow sofa, still dressed in the outfit she wore to court earlier that day. S’bu sits across from her, his trademark stoic expression revealing nothing as his gaze intermittently wanders towards his young son playing soccer.
They are a close-knit family. Yet, admits S’bu, his wife’s trial has changed him – and their lives forever.
“I was getting ready to take my son to school one morning last year only to open the gates and be confronted by a team of 15 armed men from the Tactical Response Team, with snipers around. These guys are used for violent crimes. Our home was surrounded by media frantically taking pictures as our cars were removed and property searched.
“As a man your instinct is to protect your family and no father can say he is comfortable with his young son or wife experiencing that. We were treated like hard-core criminals, with our home raided on three occasions.
“How can this not affect us?
“We were targeted three years ago when Shauwn was asked for a R4 million bribe by a top Sars official and she refused.
“She was threatened with court action which has been dragging on for three years, costing us more than R10m. They now suddenly withdraw all charges. No explanation, nothing.
“We are just expected to pick up the pieces and carry on with our life as if nothing happened. How can we?” asks S’bu as he tries to maintain his composure.
The attention on the famous couple began with questions over Sbu’s lifestyle in 2005. He was a former metro cop who drove sports cars, prompting Sars to conduct a lifestyle audit on him.
Connections
And while the couple have often been accused of bagging housing contracts worth millions through political connections, Shauwn earned a name for herself early on.
Her company, Zikhulise Cleaning & Transport, was the only one willing ’and able to build homes in far-flung rural areas with challenging terrains few companies were prepared to go to.
By the time BEE policy started, Shauwn Mpisane already had the experience, success and track record. To top it all, she was a young black female. This winning combination saw lucrative contracts rolling her way, literary overnight. But, the couple’s la dolce vita lifestyle quickly drew public attention – luxury cars, a palatial La Lucia home, lavish parties and designer brands.
Her legal woes really began when, at the height of her success, she turned to Sars, disclosing information on their lifestyle and asked for their tax assistance.
She claims that since this voluntary disclosure she’s been dogged by Sars over her tax affairs and was slapped with more than 100 charges of tax fraud three years ago, after ostensibly refusing to bribe the Sars official at the time.
Apart from her legal battle with the State and Sars, Shauwn also faced criticism for some of her construction work. Claims of shoddy workmanship began to surface amid reports that her houses were falling apart. She maintained there were a few in a thousand and mainly due to infrastructure issues beyond her control.
Ironically, at the same time, her work was praised by former city manager Mike Sutcliffe, who described it as “above average” and current KZN Human Settlements MEC, Ravi Pillay, saying it “exceeded his department’s requirements”.
Despite this, the pressure on the couple was mounting as Shauwn’s trial unfolded. Many thought the days of the golden couple were over and that the lavish parties, luxury cars and housing contracts worth millions would soon be a thing of the past. Their fall from grace was imminent, or so it seemed.
And so, the rich and famous who once sought their company, some family members and friends – including long-time childhood ones – all began to distance themselves. Many stopped calling and word was those they considered friends were celebrating their impending downfall. Their young son was not immune to the effects either. Invitations to play dates began to dwindle and friends were no longer asking to come over to his house to play.
The couple faced the ultimate test of their 22-year marriage – for better or worse. “Everyone thought we were going down. Banks reduced their service deals to us and companies that we dealt with for years started insisting on cash-only terms. Despite our strong marriage we dealt with the strain of the trial in very different ways. I would just watch television alone while S’bu would scrutinise social networking sites to see what people were saying about us.
“We treated people fairly, worked hard for our success, and we couldn’t believe what was happening, but kept going. I dived into my work and used that to keep my focus. We picked up the pieces and knew that no matter what, we had each other as a family. These possessions around us don’t define our relationship. I was not born with a silver spoon in my mouth that I cannot live without my cars or this house.
“But what really bothers me is the fact that there are many companies out there who can’t afford to challenge Sars, even if they wanted to. They are forced to give in and end up losing everything they’ve worked for. I chose to fight because I had the means, but what about those that don’t? How many have lost everything?”
Shauwn is the calmer, more forgiving of the duo. She’s learnt – if not mastered – the art of catching and throwing back the curve ball that life sometimes throws at you. She’s catching up on lost time with her son and rekindling her relationship with S’bu. They’re closer than ever as a family.
But S’bu remains angry at those he once trusted and the system he believed in.
“We will never make apologies for our success and don’t expect any sympathy for what we’ve had to go through. But I’ve learnt there is no such thing as a friend and you can’t trust anyone. It’s hardened me. We were treated like hard-core criminals despite being law-abiding citizens. We were accused of corruption because we are a family striving for success in our own style. The justice system was abused by people in power who continue to work there.”
He pauses, seeing Shauwn reading online comments about them. “Don’t read those things, Shauwn, it’s over.”
The Mpisanes were once labelled “politically connected”, “controversial” and fraudsters. Perhaps that will now change to “the couple who took on the State and the taxman – and won”.
Sunday Tribune