Tammy Taylor Franchise Victims Hope Peet Viljoen's Bail Denial Speeds Up Their Cases

• Peet Viljoen was denied bail this week on more than 400 fraud, corruption and forgery charges linked to an alleged R27.6 million property scheme
• Franchise complainants who say they lost hundreds of thousands of rands remain frustrated that no criminal charges have been brought over their specific allegations
• Two women who say they lost R300,000 and R345,000 respectively shared the emotional and financial toll the dispute has taken on their families

Franchise complainants who claim they lost money in deals tied to Tammy Taylor Nails South Africa are cautiously encouraged by Peet Viljoen's continued detention, hoping it signals that accountability may finally be within reach.

Viljoen was denied bail this week at the Pretoria Specialised Commercial Crime Court, where he faces more than 400 charges including fraud, corruption and forgery. Those charges stem from an alleged R27.6 million property scheme involving forged documents and are separate from the Tammy Taylor franchise dispute. Hawks spokesperson Colonel Katlego Mogale confirmed the two matters are unrelated.

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Franchise Complainants Still Waiting for Justice

Despite several civil court victories, complainants say no criminal charges have been brought against Viljoen or his wife, Mel, over the franchise allegations, even though dockets have reportedly been referred to the National Prosecuting Authority.

Akanyang Mathibeng, whose family paid R300,000 towards a Tammy Taylor franchise at Atholl Square in 2021, said she welcomed the bail denial. The family was later asked to invest a further R1.8 million for a site that never opened.

"They expected us to pay all that for a dead site," she said. "It wasn't operating at all – just a dead site."

Her mother bore the brunt of the losses, and Mathibeng said the experience still stings years later.

"This may have happened years ago, but as the victims, we still remember that, and it's a painful experience," she said.

Santhuri Poovalingam's ordeal dates to 2018, when she paid R345,000 for a franchise, plus R15,000 for training and up to R25,000 in legal fees. She had planned to open at The Marc in Sandton, believing it was an ideal location. She later discovered it had been allocated to someone else without her knowledge. When she sought a refund during the Covid-19 pandemic, her request was refused. She recalled Mel likening the request to seeking a refund from a fast-food chain.

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"Melany compared it to asking the CEO of KFC for a refund on a packet of chicken. It's chalk and cheese because I purchased a franchise. I didn't purchase a bucket of KFC," Poovalingam said.

Civil Courts Have Already Ruled Against the Viljoens

The courts have not been idle on the civil front. The Gauteng High Court in Pretoria ordered the Viljoens to repay R600,000 to Lebohang Hlathuka in 2025 and barred them from presenting themselves as authorised Tammy Taylor franchise sellers. In a separate matter, the court cancelled Tamara Mduzulwana's franchise agreement and ordered Viljoen to repay more than R2 million. A US federal court also ordered the couple to pay R71.3 million in damages after Tammy Taylor Nails terminated its distribution agreement with them in 2021.

Mel has not been criminally charged over the franchise complaints and has maintained that the business collapse should not be treated as evidence of criminal conduct. She did not respond to a request for comment.

Poovalingam summed up the mood among complainants:

"We believe this is the wheels of justice turning. As you sow, so shall you reap." Her lingering question, however, remains: "Will we ever get any money back?"

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Mathibeng remains hopeful that the various civil cases will eventually bring closure to those who say they lost money.

“My last words to Peet are: ‘Our tears won’t go down the drain,’” she said.

Mel did not respond to News24's request for comment.

Mel Viljoen breaks down in court

Meanwhile, Briefly News previously reported that a video of Mel Viljoen shedding tears inside a Pretoria courtroom as Magistrate Nicca Setshogoe delivered her ruling on Peet's bail application went viral online.

Peet Viljoen, a disbarred attorney and reality TV personality, faces more than 400 charges, including fraud and corruption.

Source: Briefly News