Mommy Club reality star and businesswoman Happy Simelane said she is relieved after disgraced lawyer Peet Viljoen and his wife Mel could face prosecution over allegations that they sold allegedly non-existent nail salon franchises to aspiring entrepreneurs. 

This comes after the Hawks confirmed last night (June 22) that they have concluded their investigation into an alleged Tammy Taylor franchise scam and referred the docket to the National Prosecuting Authority for a decision on whether to prosecute the Viljoens. 

“Honestly, that’s an extremely happy moment. For years I have fought against them, fought for justice. I have been portrayed as mentally unstable and faced a lot of online verbal abuse. It feels like justice has finally prevailed. I realise that it is still not the end of the process, but it is the start,” Simelane said.

Simelane’s drama with the Viljoen began five years ago when she was an aspiring businesswoman.  

She always dreamed of having her own business and because Tammy Taylor South Africa had a good reputation, she used all her savings to buy a store in the upmarket Menlyn Maine centre in the east of Pretoria. 

Sadly, she alleges that the R2.8m she paid did not even buy her the keys to the store. 

She said she no longer cares about the money, describing it as a painful life lesson. What concerns her more are the other victims whose lives were allegedly left in shatters. 

“I worked in network marketing for a time and saved up every cent that I had. When this opportunity – being a salon owner – crossed my path, I grabbed it with both hands. The way the brand was packaged created a sense of good faith and confidence, but that trust was not aligned with the reality of what I experienced. 

“I had many questions, particularly around the financial presentation which I now believe formed part of a wider misrepresentation and possible fraud linked to another company’s financials,” she said. 

When Simelane started to ask questions about the alleged financial misrepresentation, she said the Viljoens took to social media and badmouthed her. According to Simelane, they portrayed her as being dishonest and a drama queen. 

She took the flak gracefully, she said, not even bothering to open a defamation case against them because she believed the couple would eventually be responsible for their own downfall. 

Simelane is part of the so-called ‘WhatsApp group’ of 77 Tammy Taylor victims. She said only three members of the group laid official complaints. “I think there are more victims and I want them to come forward. I am not the only advocate for justice. I need more voices to join me.” 

She believes the Viljoens made millions from the alleged scheme. “Let’s think about it, a franchise holder had to pay R350 000 just for the certificate. If you multiply this by the group of 77, it comes to millions of rands. 

“Yes, I know I was not thorough enough before I signed the contract. I was clouded by their glitz and diamonds.” 

‘I always thought he is a racist’  

While Viljoen awaits a formal bail hearing on charges linked to a R27m municipal property fraud scheme dating back 16 years, sources within the police told the publication that they also plan to prosecute him for hate speech. 

Caxton Network News reported last week that a hate speech complaint was opened in June 2025 at the Brackenham Police Station in Alberton South.  

The complaint stems from remarks made about black South Africans, allegedly by Peet on his social media profiles. He, among other things, allegedly stated that there was ‘no doubt in his heart that he is a racist and hates black people’. It is also alleged that he referred to black people as ‘stupid’.

A trusted source told Network News that ‘Viljoen will still get his day in court’ regarding the remarks.  

Simelane said she is well aware of this complaint and has always believed Viljoen to be a racist, although he tried to hide it behind jokes and silly remarks.  

“That is quite distressful what he said about black South Africans. I worked closely with them for a couple of months, and I picked up on it. I am a confrontational person, and I have confronted him about the way he would often speak to me – sometimes in a humorous manner – but still he always denied the fact that he is a racist.”  

Since Mel’s return to South Africa, after submitting to voluntary departure rather than facing standard deportation proceedings in the US, she has frequently featured in news articles wearing designer clothing and saying that the first thing she bought after being released from jail in America was a Starbucks coffee.  

Simelane said she found that particularly despicable. As a reality star herself with around 80 000 followers on her Facebook page, Simelane said there are limits to freedom of speech that no one should cross. “People look up to us and we should always behave in the most respectful manner.” 

Neither Mel nor their legal representative responded to requests for comment. 

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