TV personality Melany “Mel” Viljoen is back in South Africa after being granted “voluntary departure” by a United States immigration judge.
Her husband is expected to join soon, and Mel revealed that if Peet is re-admitted as a lawyer, they may stay in South Africa and rebuild their lives.
Mel and her husband, Petrus (Peet) Viljoen, were arrested in Boca Raton, Florida, on March 10, 2026, for allegedly stealing groceries from a supermarket over several months. They were charged with aggravated grand retail theft.
Speaking to IOL, “The Real Housewives of Pretoria” star shed light on her release, her arrest and being detained by the United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
“First thoughts were a deep gratitude for not dying inside Donald Trump’s torture camps,” said Mel about the moment she found out she would be released.
“I was in hell but kept going and escaped before the devil knew I was there.”
Mel was initially detained at the Broward Transitional Centre in Pompano Beach, Florida, and later transferred to the Denver Contract Detention Facility in Denver, Colorado.
“I was not in a detention centre. I was in Auschwitz.”
“Detention centres have access to open air, tablet access 24/7, medical care, and food that is not roadkill. Hitler would be proud of Trump.
Mel shared that Peet has applied for voluntary departure, as she did. “The outcome should be the same if America follows the presidential system. Some judges are not independent and are fearful of Trump.”
Mel alleged that Peet endured harsh conditions for 21 days at Alligator Alcatraz and was kept in a small cage with 32 other men, fed almost nothing, and could only leave the cage every third day for 20 minutes.
“Peet suffered pneumonia at the California City prison. The prison had been abandoned until the company owned by Trump needed more beds. Peet will survive. We communicate daily.”
When it comes to their marriage, Mel says nothing will weaken their union. “Till death do us part. We suffered together. Our bond is unbreakable.”
Mel said she remains deeply traumatised by her detention experience, describing the facilities as “Trump’s Hitler-inspired Auschwitz” and claiming that her “soul will never heal”.
“I was tortured, abused, and ridiculed on a daily basis. I was underfed, screamed at, and reminded that this would continue until I surrendered and agreed to be deported.”
Mel detailed how she had to sleep on concrete floors with no blanket or food for six days.
“The holding cell was crowded. No shower. Open toilets. Very inhumane.”
“Ironically, Trump involves himself in many countries, claiming the inhumanity of the government, while building these torture camps using old abandoned prisons. I am still processing the abuse I suffered.”
“The Real Housewives Ultimate Girls Trip: South Africa” cast member shared that a typical day at a detention centre would begin at 5.00 a.m. with a loud scream. “Reality would drop like a cannon shot.”
“Breakfast resembled dog food. I skipped breakfast because I could not keep the slush they served down. Misery as time stood still. I lay on my little steel bed with a thin mattress and one blanket, cold air freezing my bones. At twelve, I showered.
“We could only walk around in a cell about 30 metres wide. There was no real area to walk and no contact with sunlight. We never went outside. I watched television. When tablets were available, I spoke to my lawyers.
“After 30 days, I found a way to contact Peet. We communicated through friends. The days felt like years.”
Mel was incarcerated with Latinas from Mexico, Venezuela, Cuba, and other countries. She says that most were not educated and did not recognise her.
Mel calls the shoplifting charge a publicity stunt. “Nobody steals sparkling wine when French champagne stands beside it. Nobody steals toilet paper when meat costs R2,000 per kilogram.
“The Publix assistant did most of the scanning on the video shown to us by police. Who has not experienced the discomfort at Woolworths when an item refuses to scan? It happens.”
“Police gave the footage to the media within 20 minutes. Police also stole some of our diamonds and cash. Our car is still missing at the towing company contracted by the Boca Raton Police.
No arrests have been made. One cannot obtain voluntary departure with an open criminal case. The judge found my charges suspicious and asked the prosecutor to abandon them. She did.”
Mel claims that she had no part in the decision that led to her arrest. “The charges were bogus. Police do not normally send body-camera videos to the media. It was a publicity stunt that advanced the career of one policewoman who normally guards the doughnut shop.”
She added that her presence in South Africa proves her innocence. “If I were guilty, I would be in prison. It is not possible to obtain voluntary departure with open criminal charges.”
“Those who believe I am avoiding responsibility are probably projecting. They are the type who judge everybody. They need to see blood and despair to feel better about their own miserable lives.”
The experience has taught Mel that people everywhere are fighting battles you know nothing about. “We need to be kind. I have been in hell. Trump did to me what Hitler did to the Jews. Karma is real. Judge me at your peril.”
Mel previously supported Donald Trump, but her views have changed, with her comparing Donald Trump’s actions to Adolf Hitler’s.
“America under Donald Trump is a savage country. Donald Trump is doing exactly what Hitler did. The deaths are kept quiet.
“There will be a reckoning for the human rights abuses.”
When asked what her message would be to current supporters of Trump’s immigration policies, Mel characterised Donald Trump as a con artist who lacks genuine concern for people.
“Trump’s executive order means nothing. USCIS (U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services) has not taken note of it. If you are a refugee and you skip a traffic light or speed, you may follow in my footsteps and face ICE.
When it comes to whether the immigration system treated her fairly, Mel explained that U.S. immigration policy changes with every new president.
“America is made up of immigrants. When Republican immigrants have power, they block new immigrants.”
She also revealed that their lawyers at Russel Kerr Law Group gave them terrible legal advice.
“When your tourist visa is about to expire, you do not gain standing merely by filing an extension. Russel Kerr recklessly advised us otherwise. Our lawyers failed us. ICE tortured us.”
Reflecting on her journey, Mel considered how she has evolved since her initial appearance on reality TV. She described the reality television industry as a high-speed game of chess designed to provoke stars and manipulate them into conflict.
According to Mel, cast members often become puppets whose personal suffering is broadcast to satisfy an audience drawn to misery, drawing parallels to the spectacles of the Roman Colosseum.
Having faced adversity since childhood, Mel admits that her experiences with ICE were particularly soul-crushing.
Though she views herself as damaged by the ordeal, she maintains that the experience taught her the true extent of her resilience when strength was her only remaining choice. She challenges her critics to reserve judgment until they have experienced the same path she has walked.
IOL
