Mel Viljoen Laughs Off BackaBuddy Shutdown, Claims News is Fake

• Mel Viljoen gave a salty response to the news that the fundraising initiative had been taken down
• BackaBuddy shut down Mel and Peet Viljoen's fundraising campaign for Peet's legal costs, citing its platform standards and terms and conditions
• The campaign had raised R3,500 over six days before it was removed, with all eligible donors set to receive refunds

Mel Viljoen is not going quietly. After BackaBuddy shut down her crowdfunding campaign for husband Peet Viljoen's legal fees, the platform confirmed that all eligible donors would be refunded. Mel's response? Nothing but a laugh and a denial.

The fundraiser, which sought to raise R500,000 for Peet's legal costs, had only managed to collect R3,500 over six days before BackaBuddy pulled the plug.

Why BackaBuddy removed Viljoen's campaign?

In a statement shared on the campaign page on Tuesday, 7 July 2026, the platform explained the decision was made in line with its terms and conditions.

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They emphasised their commitment to fairness, transparency, and community trust. "All eligible donations are in the process of being systematically refunded," eNCA journalist Sli Sebata shared as she reshared BackaBuddy's statement.

What Mel Viljoen said about the fundraising drama?

Instead of addressing the shutdown directly, Mel pushed back against a post circulating online. On Instagram, Entertainment SA shared the news, but their wording rubbed Mel the wrong way.

She laughed it off and claimed the caption had been altered, writing: "This was altered. The caption on the app says Mel Viljoen closed this campaign and started a new one. This is fake news."

She also added laughing emojis in the comments section of the post, confusing many people.

Another plot twist was that Mel had launched a second BackaBuddy account shortly after the first was removed, making her denial eyebrow-raising for South Africans following the saga.

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Mzansi weighs in

The comments section had plenty to say. Below are some of the reactions:

@entertainmentsa extended an olive branch:

"Chomi, can you invite us to set your record straight. Xoxo. Just you and us."

@crushclothing2021 was less than sympathetic:

"Anything for some attention…shame, sis."

@represantantlegaldesuisse took a harder stance:

"You will have your day in court...just be patient. I hope they throw you under the prison!!"

@leandrodutoit_ offered a word of caution:

"She won't bru, you've already played your narrative by this post. Stay in Switzerland, and you'll get the big views."

@saggy_stone was direct:

"You live in a dream world, no assets, claims to be a millionaire. Even your house was rented. You're broke. Everything true you claim is fake news."

Why Mel Viljoen wiped her social media clean

Meanwhile, Briefly News previously reported that Mel Viljoen raised eyebrows after she deleted content from her social media accounts.

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However, she kept the name of her new beauty business in her Instagram bio despite growing scrutiny surrounding her previous Tammy Taylor nail salon franchising business.

Source: Briefly News