Zelda La Grange Loses R6000 in Sophisticated Vodacom Impersonation Scam

Published 18 Aug 2026 at 2:01 PM

by Jessica Gcaba

4 min read

Zelda La Grange, Nelson Mandela's former private secretary, revealed she fell victim to a convincing phone scam that cost her R6000
The fraudsters posed as Vodacom employees, promised her an iPhone 17, a R5000 grocery voucher and R30 000 in cash as part of a fake promotion
La Grange shared how the scammers used all the right language to avoid suspicion, including reassuring her that they would never ask for her banking details

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Zelda La Grange was scammed R6000. — Zelda La Grange lost out on R6000 in a sophisticated Vodacom scam. Image: Zelda La Grange
Source: Facebook

Nelson Mandela's former private secretary, Zelda La Grange, has gone public with a deeply personal account of how she was scammed out of R6000 in a call she describes as humiliating and infuriating. In a lengthy Facebook post shared on 13 August 2026, she urged her followers to learn from her costly mistake before it happens to them.

The call came on a Tuesday from a man who identified himself as "Perseverance Mokoena" from Vodacom. He told La Grange she had been selected as one of the company's longest-serving loyal customers to receive prizes as part of Vodacom's 32nd anniversary celebrations. When she chose "Option C" from a mock prize draw, she was told she had won a brand new iPhone 17, a R5000 grocery voucher, and R30 000 in cash, complete with screaming, applause, and laughter in the background.

How the scam unfolded

What made the scheme so convincing was the language the caller used throughout. He repeatedly reminded her that Vodacom would never ask for her banking details or passwords, making her feel safe. He also mentioned that a donation would be made to Gift of the Givers and the Nelson Mandela Foundation for every prize paid out, which La Grange admits made her even more trusting.

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The caller then walked her through her banking app, instructing her to purchase vouchers under the guise of "activating" her cash prize. She was asked to read out reference numbers, which she did, and then directed to perform an e-wallet transfer. Voucher confirmation emails arrived in her inbox during the call, which further convinced her the process was legitimate.

It was only when the caller's progress percentage jumped backwards, from 92% to 84%, that suspicion crept in. She demanded to speak to a manager, realised that person was also fraudulent, and dropped the call. By the time she reached Checkers to use the vouchers, all of them had already been redeemed. "I am SOOOO angry at myself," she wrote.

Mzansi Reacts to Zelda's Warning

The post struck a chord with South Africans who had faced similar ordeals.

@Zanielle du Plessis: "I'm with Capitec and when I open my bank app while on a call I get a warning message to not open my app while on a call. The banks are trying hard to block these scammers around every corner but like you say they know every trick in the book and will even outsmart the most secure technology. To safeguard myself I trust no one."

@Mary-Ann Beetge: "Thank-you Zelda this happened to me earlier in the year too, caller identity said its my Bank Fraud Department. A call I will never forget in a hurry. I wounder how will they feel if someone did that to there family.."

@Antonio Rossetti: "There are so many of us that have been caught in a very similar way unfortunately. 😠 Thank you for sharing your experience reenforces us to be vigilant and alert which is a very sad way to live. The human world has become a very desperate cruel place 😰😠😢"