Priority Escapes boss arrested in connection with two more AfriForum cases
Francois Swart, the Managing Director of the Priority Escapes travel agency and an alleged holiday swindler, was arrested today, moments after leaving the Randburg Magistrates Court. AfriForum’s Private Prosecution Unit represents the complainants in the two cases for which Swart was arrested, bringing the total number of cases in which the unit has pressured the authorities to act to four.
The arrest comes just two weeks after the unit wrote a letter to the commander of the Douglasdale Police Station, expressing disappointment at the failure to act on two cases opened in March and April of last year. 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.
The Private Prosecution Unit also represents Pamela-Anne Dolan and Bugs van Heerden in a case being heard in the Modimolle Magistrates Court, as well as Casper Groenewald in a case being heard in Randburg. Swart was arrested today following these proceedings. It is unclear whether he will be held in jail over the weekend or granted bail, but the unit will follow this up with the authorities.
In the recent letter to the South African Police Service (SAPS), Advocate Gerrie Nel pressed home the urgency of finalising the case. “We have consulted with our clients, who presented us with affidavits and supporting evidentiary information. We consider this evidence prima facie evidence that our clients were criminally defrauded by the identified suspect, Francois Swart.
“The complainants’ case is straightforward. The suspect received full payment from both the complainants for him to fulfil holiday arrangements on their behalf. The misrepresentation was furthered when the suspect issued documents purporting that the holiday was arranged and paid in full. It has since been confirmed that the documents the complainants received are false. Society demands that complaints are dealt with speedily and that the principle of ‘justice delayed is justice denied’ is firmly restored in the criminal justice system,” concluded Nel.
The unit will continue to engage with the authorities to ensure that justice is served.
The Groenewald case was postponed to 4 March in the Randburg Magistrates Court.
