Who and what is AfriForum?

AfriForum is an Afrikaans civil rights organisation that protects the rights of minority groups at national as well as provincial level, and anyone who can identify with AfriForum’s principles and objectives may join the organisation. AfriForum’s community plan focuses on mobilising communities to thus take control of their own streets and neighbourhoods again. AfriForum ensures that your constitutional and civil rights are recognised and protected at national level.

Wie en wat is AfriForum?

AfriForum is ’n Afrikaanse burgerregteorganisasie wat die regte van minderheidsgroepe op sowel nasionale as provinsiale vlak beskerm, en enigiemand wat met AfriForum se beginsels en doelstellings kan identifiseer, mag by die organisasie aansluit. AfriForum se gemeenskapsplan fokus daarop om gemeenskappe te mobiliseer om só weer beheer terug te neem oor hul eie strate en woonbuurtes. AfriForum verseker dat jou grondwetlike én burgerregte op nasionale vlak erken en beskerm word.

Media statements | Private prosecution Media statements

A victory for local police as fraud case against alleged holiday swindler progresses towards trial

ByAfriForum 23/02/202423/02/2024

The fraud investigation into travel agency boss Francois Swart has been completed. A state prosecutor told this to the Modimolle Magistrates Court today, where Swart made a brief appearance before the matter was postponed. Swart is the managing director of Priority Escapes and is alleged to have defrauded many would-be holiday-makers of hundreds of thousands of rand.

The unit represents two complainants who filed a criminal complaint against Swart at the Modimolle Police Station in August last year. The arrest warrant was issued in early December, following the intervention of the unit. The matter was postponed to 22 March for the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) to decide whether the matter should be transferred to the Regional Court for the trial to take place. It is then expected that a trial date will be set.

Adv. Gerrie Nel, head of the unit, commended the Modimolle police and prosecutors. “We decided to keep this matter local and reported it to the local police station and we’re in court today, unlike the Hawks investigation. They are dragging their feet. We are very happy with the progress so far and we are very confident that on 22 March a trial date will be arranged,” he said.

The two complainants represented by the unit, Pamela-Anne Dolan and Bug van Heerden attended the court proceedings. Dolan said it was surreal seeing Swart in the dock. “I have never met him before, and here is this person who has taken our money. It’s a bit of justice, because now I know things are going to go to court and he’s not going to get away with it,” she said. Dolan thanked the unit for the support. “We never had much hope to begin with, and it has progressed so quickly. And the constant support and messages from the team has really given us hope.”