Online Reporter
Mthokozisi Ncube
WHAT started as a dream to fly overseas has turned into a living nightmare for several Bulawayo women — and now they are sounding the alarm: if it sounds too easy, it’s probably a scam!
BEWARE OF SCAMMERS!
A local man, Sikhumbuzo Dube, is at the centre of a shocking travel scam, accused of pocketing thousands of rands while promising desperate victims jobs and travel to Europe.
The victims claim they collectively lost more than R399 000 in deals that were supposed to take them to countries like the Netherlands and Ireland — but instead left them stranded, broke and heartbroken.
One of the victims, Faith Maeresera, said she is speaking out so others don’t fall into the same trap.
“I just want people to know the truth so that no one else falls into the same trap,” she said.
A B-Metro reporter went undercover, posing as someone desperate to travel abroad — and what followed raised serious red flags.
Through WhatsApp chats, Dube allegedly acted like a plug for overseas travel, asking about passports and preferred destinations.
He reportedly claimed travelling with a Zimbabwean passport was “tricky” but said he could make it happen — for a price.
Ireland? About US$4 500.
Netherlands? Around R65 000.
He allegedly told the undercover reporter that no visa was needed for the Netherlands and promised everything could be sorted in just two weeks.
When asked if he worked for a registered agency, he allegedly said no.
But when confronted about being a scammer — he went quiet!
Even after the reporter revealed his identity and sent questions, Dube had not responded.
Maeresera says she was introduced to Dube by another woman and trusted him with her hard-earned money.
“I paid R149 000, which he said would cover everything, including the air ticket and accommodation,” she said.
But the dream quickly collapsed.
“We didn’t even travel. We later realised the tickets were fake,” she said.
“It was painful. We also heard of others being deported after using his services.”
Another victim, Portia Tshuma, says she paid R110 000 for herself and her daughter — believing they were heading for a better life.
“He promised safe travel and even gave us what looked like journalist documents, claiming we would travel under a media assignment,” she said.
But it was all smoke and mirrors.
“When we checked, the tickets and vouchers were fake,” she said.
“This experience has left me in serious debt and emotional distress. It has affected my work and my daily life.”
A third victim, who asked to remain anonymous, painted an even darker picture.
Some travellers allegedly made it out of the country — only to be stranded in places like the Philippines and Singapore.
“We found out that hotels and flights were only reserved but not paid for,” the source said.
“We had to borrow money again just to survive. Some families even sold property to bring their children back home.”
Victims say Dube has now vanished, ignoring calls and messages while giving excuses about refunds.
They are now demanding justice and warning others.
“All I want is my money back and for others not to go through what we experienced,” said Tshuma.
At the time of going to print, Dube had not responded to requests for comment.
Meanwhile, authorities have consistently warned that fraudsters are increasingly preying on desperate job seekers, with some victims unknowingly being lured into potential human trafficking schemes.
Many cases have been linked to social media platforms such as WhatsApp and Facebook, where unsuspecting individuals are enticed with promises of lucrative employment opportunities abroad, only to find themselves trapped in exploitative conditions — or even de facto slavery — upon arrival in the countries where these so-called “jobs” are offered.
