Reality television personalities Peet and Mel Viljoen face potential prosecution over allegations they sold non-existent nail salon franchises to aspiring entrepreneurs, as Peet simultaneously awaits a formal bail hearing on 400 separate charges linked to a R27‑million municipal property fraud scheme.
The Hawks have concluded their investigation into an alleged Tammy Taylor franchise scam and have referred the dockets to the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) for a decision on whether to charge the Viljoens. The couple stand accused of defrauding local entrepreneurs by selling them non-existent franchises, leaving victims financially ruined after paying hundreds of thousands of rand for businesses that never materialised.
The investigation follows a High Court order directing the court registrar to forward papers to the NPA after a prospective franchisee, Lebohang Hlathuka, successfully sued Tammy Taylor Global Franchising and the Viljoens to recover money paid for a franchise.
Judge Joseph Raulinga declared the franchise transaction void and unconscionable under consumer law, ordering the repayment of R600 000 with interest. He also ordered the Viljoens to cease representing themselves as having authority to sell Tammy Taylor franchises without the required permission or licensing.
Multiple victims come forward
Court documents reveal numerous alleged victims. In a judgment dated 9 July 2025, the Gauteng High Court found that Viljoen’s representations “were false” and constituted misrepresentations that were unlawful. The court ruled that the misrepresentations induced the plaintiff to pay R500 000 to Tammy Taylor SA Holdings, causing financial loss, and that no franchise agreement was subsequently entered into. Summary judgment was granted for R500 000.
Reality TV star Happy Simelane has publicly stated that more than 77 victims have come forward, with private investigator Anthony Boucher working on approximately 10 complainants’ cases. Multiple franchise claimants, including Simelane herself, have reported losses running into millions of rand.
Behind bars on separate fraud charges
Peet is currently being held at Kgosi Mampuru II Correctional Centre in Pretoria while awaiting a formal bail hearing on Friday, 26 June.
He was arrested on 16 June at OR Tambo International Airport moments after arriving in South Africa following his deportation from the United States, where he had been held in an immigration detention facility for approximately 100 days.
The arrest relates to an unrelated case involving 400 charges of fraud, corruption, theft, forgery, uttering and perjury. According to the National Prosecuting Authority, the charges stem from an alleged R27‑million property fraud scheme involving the fraudulent sale of 46 properties belonging to the City of Johannesburg between January and March 2010.
Viljoen made a brief appearance in the Pretoria Specialised Commercial Crimes Court on 18 June. His lawyer requested he be held at Sunnyside Police Station to facilitate consultations, but the court denied the request and ordered him remanded to Kgosi Mampuru II.
The National Prosecuting Authority has indicated it will oppose bail. Prosecutor Willem van Zyl told the court the charges — corruption, fraud, theft, perjury and forgery — all fall under Schedule 5 as they involved millions of rand, setting a higher bar for bail.
From reality TV to multiple fraud allegations
The Viljoens became household names through their appearance on kykNET’s The Real Housewives of Pretoria, where they showcased a luxury lifestyle built around their involvement in the Tammy Taylor Nails business.
However, their operations faced scrutiny after a United States federal court ordered them to pay $4 million (approximately R71 million) in statutory damages for trademark infringement and counterfeiting related to the Tammy Taylor Nails brand, a judgment which they have reportedly refused to pay. The court granted a default judgment after the Viljoens did not defend the case.
The couple’s legal troubles escalated in March 2026 when they were arrested in Boca Raton, Florida, on charges of aggravated grand retail theft. American authorities alleged they engaged in a six-month “ticket-switching” scheme at a Publix supermarket between August 2025 and March 2026, swapping cheaper barcodes onto more expensive items across 52 transactions, resulting in losses of $5 302.17.
Following their arrest, immigration officials discovered they had overstayed their tourist visas. Mel was granted voluntary departure and returned to South Africa ahead of her husband, while Peet remained in immigration detention until his deportation in mid-June.
Peet was disbarred as an attorney in 2011 and remains permanently barred from practising law, according to the Legal Practice Council.
Sources: eNCA; saflii.org; The South African
