South African content creator NoChill God, real name Ndivhuwo Muhanelwa, has confirmed that he owes the South African Revenue Service (SARS) a hefty R200,000.
The influencer addressed the issue after a news report revealed the outstanding amount.
Taking to Instagram, he told his followers that the article was accurate and that he fully accepts responsibility.
“This is not gossip. This is not a scandal. This is a lesson every South African creator needs,” he said.
NoChill explained that he approached SARS himself and applied for the Voluntary Disclosure Programme (VDP), stressing that he wanted to lead by example.
He said his intention was to educate other digital creators about compliance rather than hide his own mistakes. “I faced everything head-on because leadership requires honesty,” he shared.
He admitted that he didn’t understand the tax obligations that come with being an independent creator, especially around provisional tax and declaring all income from platforms like Meta and from brand deals.
According to him, his bill grew because he funded production costs, paid freelancers, and bought equipment, all without realising that this meant he was essentially running a microbusiness.
“I didn’t know the rules around provisional tax, late filings, and declaring ALL income… Nobody told us we’re actually running MICROBUSINESSES,” he wrote.
NoChill said that once SARS presented the R200K bill, he accepted it without argument because, in his words, “it was the truth.”
He revealed that rather than feel embarrassed, he chose to use the moment to help others avoid making the same mistakes he did.
“The day I learned the truth, I didn’t run. I didn’t hide. I didn’t fight SARS. I submitted myself. I took responsibility. And I’m using this moment to educate,” he added.
He urged fellow creators to stay compliant, file properly, and avoid under-declaring their income.
He also called on SARS to work directly with influencers and invest in educating them before imposing penalties, arguing that many creators fall into trouble simply because they don’t understand the system.