Hot on the heels of the regulatory crackdown on TVI Express by the Bank of Namibia a month or so ago,  Swaziland has since decided to launch it’s own investigation into TVI Express.

To be conducted by the Central Bank of Swaziland, the investigation revolves around the bank’s claim that TVI is a pyramid scheme. Governor Martin Dlamini likened to it to a now defunct pyramid scheme, Diamond Africa;

The Diamond Africa was doing the same thing, purporting to be selling diamonds and asking people to join at a fee.

It looks like they (TVI Express) are doing the same. If they do like that, it’s a criminal offence and we will facilitate their arrest very soon.

Thus far the allegations made against TVI Express are quite serious in nature and notably absent is the tin can ‘we deny any and all allegations’ and legal threats that we’ve thus far seen with TVI Express in Africa.

So… what exactly has been the response from TVI Express and its members?

As far as I know an official response from TVI Express has yet to be made regarding the Central Bank of Swaziland’s claims. However local TVI member (or ‘senior agent’ as he appears to be calling himself) Sifiso Mahlalela, has taken it upon himself to be the public spokesperson for TVI in Swaziland.

His defence?

Well firstly TVI Express has nothing to worry about from a Central Bank investigation because apparently they have something called a ‘global license‘.

A global license in what you might ask? Well, we’re not quite sure. As Governor Dlamini put it;

there is nothing like a global licence, all international companies operating in the country have local licences for doing business in Swaziland.

Further to that, unless there’s some kind of new world order that I don’t know about, how any company can have a global license, let alone TVI Express, I have no idea.

I mean a global license for what? To run a business anywhere in the world? Who exactly do you even go to to get a license like that, the ‘global government’?

Secondly Mahlalela claims that

TVI was not a pyramid scheme because it sold a product that enabled people to get discounts air travel, hotels and car hires across the globe.

He said a pyramid scheme did not sell products.

TVI Express sell membership to a third party travel club. Members are financially rewarded solely for selling these memberships and once sold TVI Express members are unable to sell anything further to new recruits.

Membership itself is not a product so what products Mahlalela is claiming TVI Express sells is unknown.

One doesn’t need a degree in business to see that if this is the best paper-thin defense TVI Express has in Swaziland, then the Central Bank is going tear them a new one.

Meanwhile over in South Africa there’s been claims that holidays being booked through the TVI Express back office are not being booked;

Some of our members were booked for this holiday (the complimentary 6 night/7 day holiday) from TVI back office. On arrival, at the hotels, bookings were either non-existent or unpaid. Members had to return home or pay for themselves.

Managers of these establishments have claimed that TVI has falsely published them on the back office.

Through the website (tviexpress.co.za) our team has received numerous complaints from hotels and resorts, that TVI Express members are arriving at their resorts unannounced, after being “booked” by TVI Express, whereas the establishments have no connection with TVI Express.

The mental image of TVI Express members rocking up to their prebooked holidays across South Africa only to find the place has no idea about their booking or what TVI Express is, is hilarious.

Coupled with the Bank of Namibia and Swaziland’s own investigations, it appears TVI Express in Africa is in shambles.