Crime

MANZINI - Seventeen bank employees were left stranded in Durban after being defrauded E131 000 by a woman who had promised them a luxury boat cruise.

The group had paid the full amount for the trip and travelled to Durban, where they expected to board the cruise ship. However, upon arrival, they discovered that the alleged travel organiser, 32-year-old Thandeka Mamba of Ezulwini, who is now on the police’s most wanted list, had disappeared.

Information gathered shows that Mamba initially booked a hotel for the group and assured them that she would return the following day to finalise their cruise arrangements, a promise that never materialised. What should have been a celebratory getaway turned into a financial nightmare for the participants, including a 37-year-old woman of Mpolonjeni, who reportedly handed over the full E131 040 to Mamba in June 2025, believing all bookings had been properly secured in Manzini.

Information gathered reveals Mamba presented herself as a legitimate travel organiser and convinced the group that all preparations were in place. After receiving the funds, she allegedly vanished, leaving the victims with no trip and no recourse.

According to the bank employees, they reportedly trusted her, as she had confidently introduced herself as someone with experience in organising similar trips. In fact, the source alleged that the woman has a traceable record in arranging trips outside the country, to countries like Mozambique, South Africa and Lesotho, among other destinations.

The source alleged that the bank employees allegedly paid a total of E131 040 in instalments, starting from June 2025 for what they were promised would be a fully-arranged and seamless cruise experience. The payment reportedly covered the full cost of the cruise, transport to and from Durban, and all associated logistics.

After that, he said on Thursday, November 27, Mamba hired a kombi to transport the 17 bank employees from Eswatini to Durban, where she booked them for a night at a hotel, where they spent the first night after arriving in the city. The source claimed that the travel agent allegedly told her customers that she would meet them the following morning to finalise all remaining arrangements for the boat cruise. This, he claimed, included choosing what they would wear, confirming their slots for the cruise and ensuring everything was ready for the day’s activities.

However, the source said on the following morning, the travel agent was nowhere to be found. He alleged that they waited for her at the hotel, where they had spent the night, expecting her to return and give them further instructions.

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Travellers urged to use licensed agents

MANZINI – The Eswatini Interstate Transport Association has urged travellers to ensure that they use licensed travel agents that operate under recognised joint ventures to safeguard their trips and payments.

Eswatini Interstate Transport Association Secretary General Moses Mkhabela said a joint venture arrangement provides a level of protection for clients that standalone operators cannot offer. “When a travel agent operates as part of a joint venture, there are systems in place to ensure safety, accountability and compensation if things go wrong,” he said.

*Full article available in our publication

Thandeka Mamba who is wanted by the police for conning 17 bank employees.(Courtesy pic)