EVER since she won N$3 million on the TV reality show Big Brother Africa: The Chase everyone has been after a piece of Dillish. Investment managers have allegedly inundated the media looking for the 22-year-old’s contact details.This week news broke that the self-proclaimed princess allegedly decided to invest her winnings with Old Mutual Namibia. The insurance group made the announcement in a press release forwarded to The Namibian on Monday.
“Old Mutual Namibia was recently graced with a visit from the newly-acclaimed Big Brother winner, Ms Dillish Mathews who opted to invest her winnings in Old Mutual Unit Trusts,” read the press release.
The press release also reveals that a financial advisor employed by the group, Hilia Matheus, would be Dillish’s personal financial advisor.
Contacted for comment, Dillish gave a totally different account though. She admitted visiting the Old Mutual offices but only upon invitation.
“I did not invest my money with them. They simply gave me a token of appreciation. They invited me. I appreciate it and I am very happy with what they have offered me,” she said.
Dillish maintains that the only account she has is the N$10 000 unit trust which the company donated to her. She also clarified that Matheus is not her personal financial advisor because she does not need one since she is fully capable of managing her own finances.
Matheus, who Dillish confirmed is her aunt, says that her duties as Dillish’s financial advisor are only limited to the N$10 000 unit trust. As an employee of Old Mutual, she would be lending her advice concerning the amount.
“I will be giving her my services regarding the unit trust and if she is happy with it she can come back to me and I can help her,” she explained.
Matheus also said that when the time comes for Dillish to buy property she so badly wants for her family, she will also be available to advise her on that.
“If she wants to invest the money for the property then she can use the unit trust [account] for that and withdraw it later when she is ready to buy the house,” she said.
Ziska Mostert, Old Mutual’s Business Unit marketing consultant and the author of the press release maintains that the investment of the winnings was made.
“Some of her winnings she would have invested through the unit trust that was opened for her,” she said.
She could, however, not verify if the investment was already made or is rather a future investment and promised to verify that through the unit trust personal advisors.
Asked why Dillish would deny having made the investments she answered simply, “I don’t understand why she would say that”.
Meanwhile, the taxman confirmed that Dillish will not be paying tax on the amount she won.
In consultation with the Department of Inland Revenue, the Tax division of the Ministry of Finance decided not to tax the reality TV star. This decision was based on the fact that Namibia uses a residence-based approach to taxing people. This means that any income earned outside the country is not subject to taxation.
“Only income sourced within Namibia can be taxed. This, however, should not be confused with exemption as Dillish’s earnings were not exempted from tax, she just could not be taxed as that money was not earned within our jurisdiction,” said Sam Shivute, the Commissioner of Inland Revenue at the Ministry of Finance.
The Namibian was unable to ascertain whether her winnings will be taxed in South Africa.
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