Culture Craze
Lerato Mvelase’s scam warning raises tough questions for SA tourism
South African actress Lerato Mvelase is no stranger to telling stories that hit close to home, but this time the script is painfully real. The Lockdown star has gone public with an experience that left her shaken, angry, and questioning far more than just a cancelled trip.
Days before she was meant to travel, Mvelase says she was informed that the travel agency she had booked with, Black Trotters Africa, had entered liquidation. The timing was devastating. Plans were in place, money had changed hands, and suddenly everything fell apart with no clear answers.
In a video shared online, she introduced herself with words no one ever wants to say. She said she had been scammed.
When trust turns into shock
What made the situation cut even deeper was familiarity. Mvelase explained that she had worked with the company before and believed she was supporting fellow entrepreneurs. That sense of shared purpose is what, she says, made the alleged betrayal so hard to process.
According to her account, the company is linked to Refiloe Miriam Tsakatsa and her husband, Itai Tsakatsa, also known as Africa. Mvelase alleges that when complaints surface, the business liquidates and later reappears under a new name. She says she was stunned to learn how many other people claim to have been affected in the same way.
Her story quickly struck a nerve online, with many South Africans responding with their own warnings and frustrations about travel scams and fly-by-night operators.
A mirror held up to society
Mvelase did not stop at the details of her own experience. Instead, she used the moment to reflect on what she sees as a wider breakdown of values. In her view, scamming has become normalised, not only in business but also in everyday relationships.
She spoke frankly about a culture where time, money, and trust feel disposable, and where self-interest often trumps decency. Social media, she suggested, has only amplified this problem by turning relationships into transactions and blurring personal boundaries.
It is a sobering take, and one that resonated widely. Many viewers praised her honesty, while others admitted they felt the same fatigue and disillusionment.
View this post on Instagram
Calling for action in tourism
Beyond the emotional impact, Mvelase made a direct appeal to those in power. She called on the Department of Tourism, industry bodies, and private sector leaders to step in, arguing that unethical operators are doing serious damage to the country’s tourism reputation.
Tourism is one of South Africa’s most important industries, supporting jobs and small businesses across the country. When trust collapses, it affects families, holidays, livelihoods, and the country’s image as a whole.
Mvelase said she believes this issue goes far beyond her own loss and described it as a rot that needs urgent attention.
Returning to Ubuntu
Despite the anger and disappointment, her message was not without hope. Drawing on faith and cultural values, Mvelase spoke about ubuntu, kindness, and respect as daily practices rather than slogans.
She referenced scripture and framed the experience as something happening for her rather than to her, encouraging others facing hardship to hold onto perspective and humanity.
Her closing words were a reminder that this story is not only about a travel booking gone wrong. It is about who South Africans are becoming and whether empathy and integrity still have a place in how people do business and treat one another.
Follow Joburg ETC on Facebook, Twitter, TikT
For more News in Johannesburg, visit joburgetc.com
Source: IOL
Featured Image: News24
