YouTuber and social media star Lasizwe Dambuza has expressed frustration at the South African Revenue Service’s decision to start taxing influencers.
The entertainer, who has built his career as a digital content creator, argued that the influencer lifestyle is far from the glamorous image many people assume.
In a passionate rant, Lasizwe explained that making money as an influencer is often a struggle.
“Being an influencer is not as glamorous as people think. It’s actually very tough to navigate this world, and even harder to reach a point where you can confidently invoice and charge for your work. Every single day, influencers are negotiating down, and it’s ironic because when you walk into a store like Pick’n Pay to buy bread, you’d never ask to negotiate the price. Yet, in this industry, our value is constantly questioned,” he said.
Lasizwe went on to highlight how much influencers spend just to maintain appearances, pointing out that they often lose more than they gain.
“On top of that, people don’t see how much influencers spend just to show up. Sometimes you’re paying thousands for makeup, transport, or outfits just to attend an event for free. You’ll maybe get a goodie bag, but now even that is being seen as taxable. It’s baffling,” he added.
He stressed that taxing struggling creators feels unfair and disheartening.
“I really empathise and sympathise with content creators who are not making real money from this work, and now they’re expected to pay tax just to be content creators. That’s heartbreaking. Instead of making their journey harder, I wish more energy were put into creating opportunities that uplift and support young creatives in this space,” Lasizwe said.
SARS has defended its decision, saying the move is not intended as punishment but rather to ensure that everyone contributing professionally pays their fair share of taxes.
