Mel Viljoen Accused of Breaching Agreement as Private Investigator Mike Bolhuis Ends Cooperation

• Private eye Mike Bolhuis ends cooperation with Mel Viljoen over multiple breaches of agreement
• The fallout comes just days after Mel publicly apologised and agreed to cooperate with Bolhuis and Specialised Security Services in the Tammy Taylor franchise investigation
• Leaked video shows Viljoens strategising post-arrest, provoking critical social media reactions

Mel and Peet Viljoen's troubles keep mounting. Private investigator Mike Bolhuis has officially ended his cooperation agreement with Mel Viljoen, accusing the former reality TV star of repeatedly breaking the terms of the deal his firm, Specialised Security Services (SSS), had put in place with her.

The split marks a dramatic U-turn from where things stood just weeks earlier. On 2 July 2026, Bolhuis had publicly announced that Mel apologised and offered to assist SSS with its ongoing investigations into the Tammy Taylor franchise saga. By Monday, 13 July 2026, that goodwill had evaporated entirely.

Why Mike Bolhuis dropped Mel Viljoen

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In a statement published on the SSS website, Bolhuis was blunt about what went wrong.

“Mrs Viljoen did not cooperate with Specialised Security Services as agreed upon. Despite her written and verbal commitments, the promised cooperation was not forthcoming,” part of the statement read.

Several specific breaches were listed. Bolhuis flagged two BackaBuddy fundraising campaigns that Mel had registered to cover her husband Peet's legal costs. Both campaigns were eventually shut down. But the issue, according to Bolhuis, was that Mel launched them without any consultation with SSS.

“She did not consult or inform Specialised Security Services about these campaigns; she acted independently, contrary to the spirit of the agreement,” he said.

Bolhuis also took issue with a protest that took place outside the Specialised Commercial Crimes Court in Pretoria last week, during Peet's bail application. A small group of masked women gathered with placards calling for his release. Bolhuis stated that Mel knew about the demonstration but again chose not to loop in SSS, describing her behaviour as "unilateral and uncoordinated."

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Beyond the public-facing missteps, Bolhuis said Mel had also dragged her feet on handing over key information relevant to the investigations, hampering progress on their work. The final straw appeared to be her decision to speak directly to the media, which Bolhuis said was a clear violation of her agreement to stay silent on the matter while investigations were still active.

The termination leaves the Viljoens without the support of one of South Africa's most prominent private security operators at a particularly vulnerable moment, with Peet's legal battles still very much in motion.

Leaked video shows Peet Viljoen coaching Mel after US arrest

Meanwhile, Briefly News recently reported that a viral video showed Mel and Peet Viljoen strategising after their arrest for alleged shoplifting in Florida, United States.

South African social media users reacted critically to the couple's dynamic and mental state in the leaked footage.

Source: Briefly News