🔥 Trending Mel Viljoen's BackaBuddy Campaign Shut Down: What You Need to Know

Mel Viljoen, a South African television personality and former actress, launched a BackaBuddy crowdfunding campaign to raise funds for her husband, Peet Viljoen's, legal fees. However, the campaign was subsequently shut down by BackaBuddy ¹²⁹.

Background of the Campaign

Peet Viljoen is a disbarred lawyer facing approximately 400 criminal charges, including fraud and property theft ⁸. He is also alleged to be a shoplifter ². Mel Viljoen initiated the campaign to help cover the mounting legal costs associated with these charges ⁴¹⁰. The initial target for the campaign was R400,000 ²⁷¹⁰, though some reports mentioned R500,000 ⁵. Mel Viljoen publicly encouraged people to "show them kindness" by contributing to her husband's legal defense ²⁷.

BackaBuddy's Intervention and Closure

The crowdfunding campaign was launched in late June/early July 2026 ². However, just a week after its launch, BackaBuddy, the crowdfunding platform, shut down the campaign on Tuesday, July 7, 2026 ².

Reasons for Closure and Aftermath

While the exact detailed reasons for BackaBuddy's decision are not explicitly stated in all sources, the platform did explain its rationale ⁹. Following the closure, it was announced that all donors who contributed to the campaign would be refunded ³. This incident led to significant public discussion and media coverage in South Africa ¹⁵⁶.