Rawkraft Media, a television production house involved in the post-production of several high-profile shows, has suffered the consequences for giving the taxman a raw deal.
Africa Daily can exclusively can reveal that the Joburg-based entity has been hit with a tax bill of more than R764 000 by the South African Revenue Service (SARS).
Rawkraft Media was involved in the post-production of popular television shows including Asqoqeni, Izingane Zesthembu Season 3, The Makhenes, The Mommy Club: Sugar & Spice and Uthando Nes’thembu, among others.
The company, owned by Mfundisi Calvin Ncube and Rofhiwa Tshiwawa, has been ordered to pay the outstanding amount following a default judgment obtained by SARS in the Johannesburg High Court about two weeks ago.
The judgment followed the company’s failure to respond to a letter of demand issued by SARS requiring it to settle its outstanding tax liabilities.
According to the default judgment seen by Africa Daily, Rawkraft Media initially owed SARS just under R500 000 in unpaid Pay-As-You-Earn (PAYE).
The amount increased to more than R636 000 after SARS added more than R40 000 in penalties and over R100 000 in interest.
The company also owed more than R57 000 in unpaid Unemployment Insurance Fund (UIF) contributions. The amount subsequently increased to more than R73 000 after SARS imposed more than R5 000 in penalties and over R11 000 in interest.
Rawkraft Media further owed SARS more than R40 000 in Skills Development Levies. The liability increased to more than R54 000 after penalties of more than R3 900 and interest of just under R10 000 were added.
Cumulatively, the outstanding amount exceeded R764 000.
Before approaching the High Court, SARS issued the company with a final letter of demand on 3 August 2026, giving it 10 business days to settle the debt in full or apply for relief measures available under tax legislation.
The options included an arrangement to pay the debt in instalments, an application to suspend payment pending the outcome of a formal tax dispute, or a compromise of the debt.
At the time, SARS said the outstanding balance exceeded R717 734.60 and warned that failure to settle the debt or make use of the available remedies could result in enforcement action.
SARS further warned that it could appoint third parties holding money on behalf of Rawkraft Media to pay the outstanding amount directly to the revenue service.
The company was also warned that a civil judgment could be obtained, paving the way for a warrant of execution authorising the sheriff to attach and sell its assets.
SARS further advised the company that it could apply within five business days for a reduction of the amount recoverable based on basic living expenses and other relevant factors.
It appears Rawkraft Media failed to settle the amount reflected in the final letter of demand or make arrangements to pay the debt, prompting SARS to approach the High Court.
The default judgment now exposes the company to further debt-recovery measures should the outstanding tax liabilities remain unpaid.
Speaking to Africa Daily, Tshiwawa said they were surprised that SARS obtained a default judgment against the entity because they are servicing the debt.
“We are on top of this. It is not true that we have ignored the final letter of demand. We have always been servicing the debt. There are email communications between us and SARS to prove that we are definitely paying the debt. But we don’t know why it has gone where it has gone. Someone decided to take it where it has been taken for reasons that are unbeknown to us. Obviously, SARS has its own process and we have our own process,” Tshiwawa said.