A warrant of arrest has been officially sanctioned for Francois Swart, the alleged orchestrator of a holiday scam, and Managing Director of Priority Escapes. Swart stands accused of duping vacationers by abruptly canceling international holidays, leaving them out of pocket by thousands of rands. In an email communication to clients, Swart cited the agency’s financial struggles as the reason behind the cancellations.
The issuing of the arrest warrant has raised questions about the potential reimbursement for those affected, with no clear indication of when or if the victims will recoup their losses.
In an interview with IOL, a Durban couple now residing in Dubai revealed how they paid R63,046.95 for a Maldives holiday scheduled for September, which ultimately never materialized. Advocating for the complainants, Advocate Gerrie Nel, the head of AfriForum’s Private Prosecution Unit, disclosed that a criminal case was filed against Swart at Modimolle police station in August, alleging fraudulent activities that resulted in a loss exceeding R130,000 for two individuals.
In response to the recent developments, Nel stated, “On Thursday, police confirmed in correspondence that a J50 warrant of arrest had been issued against Swart. We are hopeful that this matter will now receive the attention it deserves and reiterate that 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. We accept that the police will not have any difficulty to arrest the suspect.”