Update

MOSSEL BAY NEWS - Mossel Bay Historic Ghost Walk's Leon van der Walt has started refunding monies owed to people after he cancelled ghost walks.

Last Friday, 24 January, Mossel Bay Advertiser published an article about several frustrated Mossel Bay residents and holidaymakers awaiting refunds after the ghost walks were cancelled in late December last year.

The amounts ranged from R300 to more than R1 700. Van der Walt had initially told people he would pay the amounts by 15 January, but when the day arrived, he sent messages saying the refunds would take a little longer as he had been going through a difficult time.

Some refunds paid
The Advertiser had spoken to several people who were awaiting their refunds from Van der Walt.

Mossel Bay local, Marita Carse, who had paid a total of R1 725 for the ghost walk for 26 December, said she was refunded the full amount. The money came through on 25 January.

Isabel Twigge, who lives in Bloemfontein and had been in Mossel Bay for the holiday period, had booked a walk for 25 December. She paid R350 and was also refunded last weekend.

A Mossel Bay local who wished to remain anonymous, was refunded the R700 she had paid for the 26 December walk which was cancelled.

A Free State resident, who was in Mossel Bay on holiday and wished to remain anonymous, paid R500 for a tour for 27 December. He too received a refund.

Another Mossel Bay local, Carlien Joubert, who paid R525 for a walk on 24 December, also received her refund.

Nickey Geldenhuys paid R525 for a booking she made for 26 December. By Wednesday, 29 January, she had not yet received her refund.

Mossel Bay resident Natassaja Loots said she was still owed a refund from a virtual tour that she had paid R150 for and booked for 30 October last year. By 29 January, she had still not received her refund.

Devastating
Van der Walt said that "as constructive as media and social media can be, it can be even more devastating".
"I picked up a series of hardships; it happens, and unfortunately I was not able to deliver the tours and had to make hard decisions.

"Those decisions affected clients and for that, I do apologise. Problems arise every day, but we deal with them and sort them out. This problem was being straightened out, communicated with clients and the Advertiser, but it was taken to the media.

"I understand and sympathise that there are so many scams and tricks today, that everyone is scared. That does not mean that if anything goes wrong there are shenanigans. Comments and opinions that are voiced in the public and social domain create impressions and perspectives.

"I have been building the walk for six years, with great recommendations and reviews from over a thousand people, but when one thing goes wrong that is out of your control, you get labelled very negatively."

Previous article: Refunding haunts ghost walk organiser

‘We bring you the latest Garden Route, Hessequa, Karoo news’