By Lehlohonolo Lehana.

@SoniaMbele.

The case of tax evasion against actress and producer of the Real Housewives of Johannesburg Sonia Mbele and her co-accused has been withdrawn. 

Mbele briefly appeared in the Johannesburg Magistrate Court for the first time on Friday.

She previously failed to appear in court after submitting a medical certificate stating that she is booked off sick.

Mbele was charged alongside Yolisa Gqunta and Rebone Sesing for contravening the Tax Administration Act.

The trio are directors of Real Housewives of South Africa (Pty) Ltd.

The withdrawal of the charges against Mbele comes after she, on Wednesday, signed an admission of guilt and paid the applicable fee of R41 000.

State prosecutor Advocate Kamohelo Selepe told the court that the matter is being withdrawn because the payment has been made by accused number 2, Mbele.

In the admission of guilt document, it is stated that the company hereby admits guilt to the charges specified in count 1 and 41. And that it has now submitted all outstanding returns referred to the charge sheet.

Mbele, Gqunta and Sesing faced 41 counts of not filing company income, Value Added and Pay As You Earn taxes from 2019 to 2022 and 2020 to 2022, respectively, for their company The Real Housewives of South Africa (Pty) Ltd.

Outside the court, elated Mbele said, "I am just glad that we are over it now and the fact that she felt the need to pay the admission of guilt fine shows that she was the one in the wrong and was the one that was being apprehended anyway.  Rebone and I are collateral damage, the state was always after her."