Johannesburg – Another case of fraud has been filed against Priority Escapes managing director Francois Swart.
Today, Monday (24 February 2025), AfriForum’s Private Prosecution Unit revealed that a fresh case of fraud related to a failed R250 000 Maldives holiday was laid against Swart.
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The number of cases being represented by AfriForum’s Private Prosecution Unit now stands at five.
The alleged holiday swindler remains in custody while awaiting the outcome of his bail application in another case being handled by the unit.
He is scheduled to appear in the Randburg Magistrate’s Court again tomorrow.
Today, the unit assisted the businessman Darren Gallias in filing a case at the Douglasdale Police Station.
In his affidavit, he explains how on 8 August 2023 he paid more than R250 000 to Priority Escapes for a Maldives vacation scheduled for December of the same year.
He received a booking confirmation but Swart messaged Gallias four days later, saying Priority Escapes had “hit a bump in the road” and needed to “regroup as a business”.
Gallias conducted his own investigation and discovered that neither his flights nor his accommodations had been booked or paid for.
It has come to light in the cases represented by AfriForum’s Private Prosecution Unit that Swart had informed clients as early as 12 July 2023 that he could no longer meet his financial obligations.
He, however, continued to accept money from clients to book holidays.
These holidays never materialised.
The unit also represents Ruan Kruger, Louis Andre Botha, Casper Groenewald, and couple Pamela-Anne Dolan and Bugs van Heerden.
Barry Bateman, Spokesperson for AfriForum’s Private Prosecution Unit, said these cases were uncomplicated.
“The criminal complaints are straightforward,” said Bateman.
“The complainants paid the suspect in full to make holiday arrangements on their behalf.
“The suspect then presented them with documents claiming that the trip to the Maldives, including flights and hotel accommodation, had been arranged and paid for in full.
“It was later discovered that all of the documents were falsified.”
Gallias said he felt compelled to open the criminal case because of the number of people Swart allegedly defrauded.
“This was a friend of my wife’s who we trusted,” said Gallias.
“We had booked a great holiday with him before and had no reason to believe that this wouldn’t be the same experience.
“However, we paid R252 000 on the Thursday and by the Saturday he closed his business.
“Unfortunately, we lost our holiday.”
Gallias added: “I’m not doing this for me, but for all those people who had lost their hard earnings.
“I believe there was even a lady who was diagnosed with cancer that had saved up all of her money for this holiday.
“I am coming forward to help those people.”
Swart is scheduled to appear in the Randburg Magistrate’s Court tomorrow, Tuesday 25 February 2025.
