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A TRAUMATISED group of influential Bay women and one of South Africa‘s leading actresses have told how a supposed “luxury” fundraising trip to Botswana turned into a holiday from hell.

Likening their ordeal to a gruelling episode from reality TV series Survivor, the women said the tour organisers put their lives at risk and failed to deliver on promises.

Responding to an advertisement in a business magazine, Karen Kelly, Joanne Anthony and Candice Mey – three self-employed Bay women – decided to represent the Eastern Cape on the 4x4 trip to Botswana to raise funds for LifeLine and make their voices heard against the abuse of women.

But little did they realise they were to be at the receiving end of abuse themselves as the eventual group of about 30 women – including Faith Like Potatoes lead actress Jeanne Visser Wilhelm – suffered hardship after hardship.

The group not only had to drive themselves to and from Botswana on treacherous roads and at times in the dark without correctly programmed GPS or radio contact with organisers, but also had to get by on only two meals a day and very little to drink for the duration of the five-day trip.

Anthony, who has diabetes, at one stage had to beg organisers for a sugar-free drink while six of the women had to share one roll of toilet paper over the five days.

The women were also subjected to crew members consuming alcohol before driving and were stuck in the Tuli Block without a qualified doctor or proper medical supplies.

On their return, they also had to witness one of the organisers being briefly detained at a border post.

The women now fear all their suffering might have been in vain and that LifeLine might not get its funds.

However, the organisers insist the tour was a success.

The 4x4 expedition, called Drive for Life Women‘s Adventure – organised by Running Porcupine Safaris and Tours – kicked off in Pretoria on June 3. In Pretoria, Kelly, a well-known emotional intelligence trainer, Anthony, a family law attorney, and Mey, a top Bay advocate, met up with more than 20 other women from across the country.

Wilhelm accompanied her mother Lynn Visser after her father paid for her to go on the trip as a birthday present.

The ad and itinerary promised an “adventure of a lifetime” with pampering, rubbing shoulders with celebrities, campfire dinners with red wine, and discussions aimed at women.

Kelly, Anthony, Mey, Wilhelm, Visser and six other women said this week none of these promises were met.

As soon as they arrived in Pretoria things started falling apart. The women found out they had to drive themselves to Botswana in sponsored Jeeps. The vehicles proceeded in convoy towards the Botswana border, but according to the women the convoy procedure was not followed and vehicles kept losing sight of each other. The GPSs were incorrectly programmed which left them constantly worried whether they were on the right path or not.

At the base camp about 30 women had to share one shower. At the next camp site there were no formal toilet or shower facilities and no running water.

By the end of the trip only one pampering session had taken place while none of the discussions aimed at women nor promised gift hampers had materialised.

Celebrities Marlon Roelfze (Shaun in Egoli) and Therese Benade (of Villa Rosa fame), who were supposed to be on the tour, cancelled more than a month before, but Kelly said they were only informed of this at departure.

This week Kelly, Anthony and Mey reported the matter to the SA Tour Operators‘ Association. They have also informed the sponsors of the trip and are considering taking legal action if the matter is not resolved.

Wilhelm said she was angry at the organisers for “pulling them into situations that if something went wrong they weren‘t equipped to handle it”.

Mey described the whole experience as “Survivor: Botswana”. Kelly said she was still traumatised.

But organiser Lelanie Badenhorst insisted the trip was a “success” and said most promises were met.