Legal action looms as SA Relocations Group disappears with clients' R1.7m

A group of at least 23 South African consumers is set to take legal action against SA Relocations Group, a relocation and immigration services company, after allegedly being defrauded of more than R1.7 million in prepaid deposits.

The group, represented by consumer law attorney Trudie Broekmann, claims the company collected full payments for services that were never rendered.

“These clients paid 100% deposits for the shipping of goods which were collected but never shipped as promised or delivered at all,” says Broekmann.

SA Relocations Group, which describes itself as a comprehensive relocation expert with a “proven track record,” allegedly failed to deliver on its commitments and abruptly ceased operations mid-service. Broekmann described the company’s conduct as a “disappearing act,” leaving clients stranded and out of pocket.

Juliata Prinsloo, a financial administrator, paid R140,000 upfront in April 2024 for the shipment of her household goods from Melbourne to Durban, and onward to her home in Trafalgar, KwaZulu-Natal. Although Palmar’s Relocations handled the freight to Durban, Prinsloo was later informed that SA Relocations had gone into liquidation.

“I contacted SA Relocations, and they assured me everything was fine and that they would deliver the container with goods to our home. But after a while, their emails and contact details stopped working, and I was unable to get hold of them,” she says.

Her container was stuck in the Durban port, and because SA Relocations was listed as the consignee, she could not retrieve it. She eventually paid R30,000 to All Freights Africa, who managed to change the consignee details and deliver the goods nearly three months after the original deadline.

“I was so distraught for several weeks before All Freights Africa came to our rescue. I could not sleep at all due to the ordeal with SA Relocations,” Prinsloo says.

She was later sent a refund link by SA Relocations, which required her to submit personal documents. “Shortly afterwards, their emails stopped working. I have not received a cent back from SA Relocations, despite them failing to deliver the required services," she says.

Artist Debbie Murphy also fell victim to the company’s practices. She contracted SA Relocations to move her belongings from Johannesburg to Cape Town in September 2023, with an agreement that her goods would be stored until she moved into her permanent residence.

“I was supposed to have free access to my belongings, but on the one occasion I wanted to go to the storage, they wanted to charge me R1000,” she says.

Murphy paid monthly for five vaults, but was later told she owed money despite being in credit. “Out of desperation, I paid it because it was a Friday and the threat of them taking my belongings was real," she says.

When her vaults were finally released, only four were returned. “This was an awful and traumatic experience, and I had been bullied by SA Relocations to wrongfully pay extra before they were prepared to release my belongings.”

IT consultant Travis Williams paid R35,976 for a container shipment from Johannesburg to Germany in April 2024. SA Relocations later demanded an additional R21,629, claiming the container was larger than expected. Despite repeated assurances that the container was in Durban awaiting shipment, Williams discovered in August that it had never left Johannesburg.

“SA Relocations told us a story, as our container never left Johannesburg and was not in Durban as was wrongly claimed,” he says. Williams had to pay AGS R66,000 to complete the relocation.

He also received a refund form in July, but never received any money.

“Jet Pets, an affiliate of SA Relocations, is still operating, and they share the same bank account as SA Relocations, so how can they still be going on if SA Relocations has apparently been liquidated? I believe this is just a way of deceiving consumers by faking liquidation," he says.

Broekmann confirmed that no evidence of liquidation could be found for SA Relocations (Pty) Ltd or The Relocations Group (Pty) Ltd. “It appears to be nothing more than a ruse to discourage consumers from pursuing their claims," she says.

She says she suspects the directors may continue operating under a new name to avoid reputational damage. “The Consumer Protection Act requires suppliers like SA Relocations to deliver and complete services at the agreed-upon time. The Act also prohibits a supplier from accepting payment for services that they know they lack the capacity to provide," says Broekmann.

“In such circumstances, the Act requires the supplier to refund the consumer with interest and to compensate the consumer for any additional costs incurred due to the breach of contract.

“Yet, not one of the 23 clients of SA Relocations were refunded a cent of the deposit as was promised by SA Relocations," Broekmann says.

The group says it is now considering formal proceedings before the Western Cape Consumer Affairs Tribunal.

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