Alleged holiday swindler Francois Swart, whose Gauteng-based travel agency, Priority Escapes allegedly defrauded holidaymakers.
Image: SAPS
A travel boss accused of scamming people out of thousands of rands has been hit with another arrest.
Francois Swart was arrested moments after leaving the Randburg Magistrate's Court on Friday.
AfriForum, who represents four people with cases against Swart, said the latest arrest comes just two weeks after AfriForum's Private Prosecution Unit wrote to the Douglasdale police commander about their disappointment at officers' alleged failure to act when two cases were opened in March and April 2024.
"The unit represents Ruan Kruger and Louis André Botha who, like other complainants in cases against Swart, paid tens of thousands of rands for luxury holidays but never saw the white sand beaches and sparkling blue ocean they were promised," said AfriForum's Barry Bateman.
He said the unit is also representing two other complainants, Pamela-Anne Dolan and Bugs van Heerden and the matter is being heard in the Modimolle Magistrate's Court.
"We are also representing Casper Groenewald in Randburg," Bateman added.
Last month, IOL reported that the 40-year-old appeared in the Specialised Commercial Crimes Court sitting in Palm Ridge Magistrates after he handed himself over to police.
He was granted R10,000 bail and the case postponed to April 2, said spokesperson for the Directorate of Priority Crime Investigation (Hawks) Colonel Katlego Mogale.
Mogale added that following a rigorous investigation by the Hawks' Serious Commercial Crime Investigation, it was discovered that Swart had utilised over R2.1 million deposited for personal gain.
IOL first reported on Swart in 2023 when he allegedly took money from scores of people wanting to travel on holiday to the Maldvies.
Speaking to IOL, a Durban couple revealed how they paid R63,046.95 for a holiday to the Maldives in September.
The woman said they had planned the trip for her birthday however, the plans fell apart and she was unable to get hold of Priority Escapes for further details.
Since, there have been several more complaints against Swart.
The matter continues in court.
seanne.rall@iol.co.za
IOL
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