Woman Loses R2 Million to Alleged Romance Scam with Traditional Healer and Ex-Boyfriend
- A Northern Cape woman lost R2 million in an alleged romance scam involving her ex-boyfriend and a traditional healer
- The scammed teacher was pressured to sell her home and car, but later realised it was a fraud
- She reported the scam to the police and struggles financially while rebuilding her life
Justin Williams, a journalist at Briefly News since 2024, covers South Africa’s current affairs. Before joining Briefly News, he served as a writer and chief editor at Right for Education Africa’s South African chapter.
NORTHERN CAPE - A Northern Cape woman is grappling with the aftermath of an alleged romance scam that left her out of pocket by R2 million. The victim, who asked to be identified only as Cheryl, said the scheme involved her former boyfriend and a traditional healer he introduced her to.
Source: Getty Images
Teacher scammed out of R2 million
Cheryl, a retired teacher, said the two convinced her to withdraw her pension, which she had spent 30 years building, and transfer it into accounts they controlled. They also pressured her to sell her home, claiming it was cursed, and her car, warning that refusing would lead to accidents. While she complied with the car sale, she refused to sell her house once she realised she was being scammed.
PAY ATTENTION: stay informed and follow us on Google News!
In an interview with Sowetan, Cheryl said she now struggles to make ends meet while her ex-boyfriend relocated to Cape Town, where he runs an Uber business and is reportedly in a new relationship. Cheryl said the scam began in June 2022, when she met a Ugandan man who called himself Ronald Ssenyonga. She said she later fell in love with him, and he moved into her home. At the time, she was experiencing persistent health issues that doctors could not resolve. Ssenyonga reportedly introduced her to a Ugandan traditional healer, who claimed her ailments were linked to spiritual forces.
Source: Getty Images
Dark prayer room at night
She described being taken to a dark prayer room at night, where she said voices claimed to be her ancestors instructed her to follow their directions. The healer also gave her medicine to burn, which she said she believed would cure her. Cheryl said the couple persuaded her to resign from her teaching position and invest her pension in a business they promised would yield millions.
Cheryl said she withdrew R1.9 million from her employer in January 2023 and transferred it as instructed. The traditional healer disappeared in March 2023, but Ssenyonga continued to pressure her for more money. She said she later received additional funds, which she also transferred before Ssenyonga relocated to Cape Town. Police spokesperson Col Cherelle Ehlers confirmed that Cheryl has opened a fraud case and that authorities are investigating. Cheryl said she believes the medicine she was given contributed to her compliance. She said she now faces financial hardship and is rebuilding her life after the alleged scam.
Young woman alleges exploitation by fake modelling agency
In a previous article, Briefly News reported that a young woman has accused an alleged casting agency of exploiting and publicly humiliating her, claiming she never signed a contract and was misled under false pretenses.
She is exploring legal action against the agency’s owner and has reported a fake Facebook account impersonating her.
PAY ATTENTION: Follow Briefly News on Twitter and never miss the hottest topics! Find us at @brieflyza!
Source: Briefly News
