Disgraced lawyer, Peet Viljoen, appeared in the Specialised Commercial Crimes Court sitting in Pretoria.
Image: Timothy Bernard/ ANA Studios
The crowdfunding campaign aimed at supporting disgraced attorney Peet Viljoen's legal defence has been abruptly shut down by BackaBuddy, just days after its launch.
Initiated only seven days ago by Tammy van der Merwe and Viljoen's wife, Melany, the campaign sought to raise R400 000 to cover his legal costs while he waits for the outcome of his bail application while remaining in custody.
Visitors to the campaign page are now met with a notice confirming that the fundraiser has been closed.
“This campaign has been closed in line with BackaBuddy’s platform standards and Terms and Conditions, which we apply consistently to protect donors, campaign creators, and the integrity of our community,” the platform said.
“Decisions like this are never taken lightly and are guided entirely by our commitment to fairness, transparency, and platform trust.”
BackaBuddy said all eligible donations are being systematically refunded.
“All eligible donations are in the process of being systematically refunded. If you are a donor and have questions regarding your refund processing timeline, please contact us directly… Our support team will gladly assist you.”
The platform thanked donors for helping it “uphold a safe, neutral space for impactful giving.”
The campaign was launched after Van der Merwe appealed to members of the public to support what she described as Viljoen’s fight for “freedom and due process.
“A few months ago Mel & Peet’s life changed forever,” Van der Merwe wrote when launching the fundraiser.
“I asked Mel to start this project with me to support them in this fight for freedom and due process. Let’s take hands to support them. Let’s show them kindness in Christ and love!”
Viljoen recently appeared in the Pretoria Specialised Commercial Crimes Court, where the matter was postponed for his bail application. He has remained in custody since his arrest by the Hawks’ Serious Commercial Crime Investigation unit at OR Tambo International Airport on June 16.
The 57-year-old is facing charges of fraud, theft, forgery, uttering and contravening Section 4 of the Prevention and Combating of Corrupt Activities Act.
According to the Hawks, the arrest follows “an extensive investigation into allegations relating to the fraudulent sale of properties belonging to the Johannesburg Property Company (JPC), an entity wholly owned by the City of Johannesburg.”
The Hawks alleged that “during May 2010, several properties owned by the Johannesburg Property Company were unlawfully sold to unsuspecting bona fide purchasers.”
“Despite the properties being transferred and sold, the Johannesburg Property Company reportedly did not receive payment for the transactions, resulting in substantial financial prejudice,” the Hawks said.
Authorities added that the matter was initially reported to the Sandton and Boschkop police stations before being referred to the Serious Commercial Crime Investigation unit for further investigation.
Viljoen has also made international headlines this year after he and his wife, Melany Viljoen, were arrested in Boca Raton, Florida, in March 2026 over allegations of participating in an organised retail theft scheme involving more than $5 000 (about R81 000) worth of groceries from a supermarket.
The couple denied intentionally stealing the groceries, although US authorities alleged surveillance footage showed both participating in the scheme.
As the legal proceedings continue, organisers of the crowdfunding campaign say they hope members of the public will assist in easing the financial burden of Viljoen’s legal battle by contributing towards his legal defence.