End of a 17-year era for the two men behind LekkeSlaap in South Africa

Online accommodation booking platform LekkeSlaap has been acquired by a consortium of investors.

This transaction marks the exit of LekkeSlaap’s co-founders, Jonathan Womersley and Marcel van de Ghinste, from the business after 17 years.

On Thursday, 8 October, LekkeSlaap announced that it will be acquired by a South African investor consortium in what it described as a “landmark local travel tech deal”.

“LekkeSlaap has been acquired by a consortium of leading local investors, backing the homegrown accommodation platform for its next phase of growth,” the company said.

The consortium is co-led by prominent South African investment firms, including Investec, Bellair Road Investment, Janic Capital, the Ferreira Family Office, and the Moolman Family Office. 

Bellair Road has a strong investment track record in South Africa, with well-known companies such as Montego Pet Nutrition, Econofoods, and Freedom of Movement in its portfolio.

LekkeSlaap said its executive management team has also invested alongside the consortium and will continue to lead the business.

However, the platform’s co-founders will be exiting after 17 years leading LekkeSlaap from strength to strength.

Womersley and Van de Ghinste founded a garage-based travel tech start-up in 2009, which eventually became LekkeSlaap.

It was launched in 2013 and today is one of South Africa’s most recognisable online travel brands.

LekkeSlaap connects travellers with 40,000 properties throughout Southern Africa and has served 9 million guests since inception.

“To see LekkeSlaap grow from a small startup into a brand used and loved by millions of South Africans has been incredibly rewarding,” Womersley said.

“After so many years, finding new owners who share our culture, values and vision for the business matters enormously to us.” 

“We genuinely believe we have found the right long-term owners for LekkeSlaap, and we couldn’t be more excited to see what the management team and the new owners build from here.”

LekkeSlaap will continue to be led by CEO Frans Joubert and the existing executive team, which will ensure continuity as it moves into the next chapter.

“Despite everything LekkeSlaap has already achieved, I genuinely believe our most exciting years are still ahead of us,” Joubert said.

While its executive team will remain, LekkeSlaap also announced it has strengthened its board by appointing two prominent South African business leaders.

These leaders are OUTsurance chairman and former RMB CEO Herman Bosman, as well as GetSmarter co-founder Robert Paddock.

“Both Herman, through Atelier Partners, and Robert have also invested alongside the new investors,” LekkeSlaap said.

Bosman said LekkeSlaap is a great example of what South African entrepreneurs can build when they combine a strong customer proposition with persistence and ambition.

“I am excited to join LekkeSlaap as chairman and to guide and support Frans, the management team, and fellow shareholders as LekkeSlaap enters its next phase of growth,” he said.

LekkeSlaap said the acquisition will give it the opportunity to expand further across Southern Africa and invest in technology and localisation.