Springbok Legend Schalk Burger and Son Sentenced Over Tax Crimes
Former Springbok rugby player Schalk Willem Petrus Burger, 69, and his wine farm, Welbedacht Wines (Pty) Ltd, have been convicted and sentenced for failing to submit Value Added Tax (VAT), Pay As You Earn (PAYE), and Income Tax returns.
The Paarl Magistrate’s Court handed down the sentence on Wednesday.
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Heavy Fines and Suspended Sentences
According to National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) regional spokesperson Eric Ntabazalila, Burger was fined R6,000 or 12 months’ imprisonment on each count, with an additional R2,000 or four months’ imprisonment suspended for five years.
“This amounts to a payable fine of R56,000, or 112 months’ imprisonment, and a further R28,000 or 56 months’ imprisonment suspended for five years on specific conditions,” Ntabazalila explained.
The court granted Burger’s request for a deferred fine, allowing him to pay in instalments of R6,000 per month, with a final payment of R8,000.
Son Also Convicted
Ntabazalila confirmed that Burger’s son, Christiaan Francois Burger, 40, was also convicted and sentenced in July 2025 on 12 counts of failing to submit his personal income tax returns between 2011 and 2022.
He received a fine of R48,000 or 96 months’ imprisonment, with a further R24,000 or 48 months’ imprisonment suspended for five years, subject to conditions.
Warning from the NPA
With tax filing season currently underway, Ntabazalila warned that both individuals and companies who fail to submit their returns will face serious consequences.
“It is a serious offence that impacts negatively on the fiscus. As the sentences in these cases indicate, failure to comply will be met with severe fines coupled with imprisonment in the alternative, as well as suspended fines and imprisonment,” he said.
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