Luxury drip or dirty money? Zille’s criticism puts Imogen Mashazi's fashion in taxman's crosshairs
R1.2m watch, Bulgari jewellery, Hermès Bags: Mashazi's luxury spending triggers fierce Sars investigation demands.
Image: Oupa Mokoena
A political storm is intensifying around former Ekurhuleni city manager Imogen Mashazi after she was spotted showing off an array of ultra-luxury designer items, prompting senior Democratic Alliance member Helen Zille to call for an immediate tax investigation.
Mashazi appearing draped in Bulgari jewellery, a Hermès handbag, high-end luxury shoes, and a Dolce & Gabbana dress, explained the cost of the items including her designer watch, reportedly worth more than R1.2 million.
Zille said the display raised serious red flags regarding the origins of Mashazi's wealth and whether taxes have been paid on her purchases.
"I hope the taxman is taking a close look at this grotesque display and finding out where the money came from and whether proper tax has been paid on it," she said.
She added that the ensemble shown in the video appeared to be valued at a level that should immediately attract regulatory scrutiny. "This is one outfit that cost about as much as the President's annual salary."
The South African Revenue Service (Sars) told IOL that it could not disclose whether an investigation had been initiated.
"In terms of Section 69 (1) of the Tax Administration Act (No 28, 2011), SARS officials may not disclose taxpayer information to a third party, and this includes possible investigations against a taxpayer," Sars said.
Mashazi, who retired in July 2025 after serving as Ekurhuleni's first female city manager, built her career from the ground up, beginning as a nurse at Chris Hani Baragwanath Hospital before entering municipal administration.
Her tenure in Ekurhuleni was marked by major infrastructure investments, several clean audits, and significant improvements in primary healthcare outcomes across the metro.
But her career has not been free of controversy. In 2023 she received a suspended 12-month prison sentence for contempt of court after failing to implement an arbitration ruling.
More recently, she became a central figure in the Madlanga Commission of Inquiry, where she accused the metropolitan police chief of sexual harassment and rape, a claim that continues to reverberate through the city’s political structures.
Her carefully built public image has now been overshadowed by the new scandal.
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