A warrant of arrest has been issued for alleged holiday scam artist, Francois Swart. Swart, the managing director of Priority Escapes, is accused of swindling holidaymakers out of thousands of rands after cancelling international holidays with little to no warning ahead of time.

In August, IOL reported that the agency cancelled a holiday to the Maldives, leaving excited holidaymakers with dashed dreams.

In an email to clients, Priority Escapes managing director Francois Swart said the agency was unable to meet its financial obligations.

There was no word on when or if people would be paid back their monies.

IOL interviewed a Durban couple, now living in Dubai, who shared how they paid R63,046.95 for a holiday to the Maldives in September. The holiday never materialised.

Representing two complainants in the matter, head of AfriForum's Private Prosecution Unit, advocate Gerrie Nel, said a criminal case was opened against Swart at the Modimolle police station in August after they were allegedly defrauded out of more than R130,000.

"On Thursday, police confirmed in correspondence, that a J50 warrant of arrest had been issued against Swart. We are hopeful that this matter will now receive the attention it deserves and reiterate that society demands that complaints are dealt with speedily and that the principle of ‘justice delayed is justice denied’ is firmly restored in the criminal justice system. We accept that the police will not have any difficulty to arrest the suspect," Nel said.

IOL