LekkeSlaap Acquired by Investec-Led South African Group

In Short

• LekkeSlaap, a South African accommodation booking platform, has been acquired by a consortium of local investors.
• The buyer group includes Bellair Road Investment Partners, Janic Capital, family offices, and Investec.
• Co-founders Jonathan Womersley and Marcel van de Ghinste are exiting, alongside some long-time shareholders.

What Happened

LekkeSlaap has changed hands after being acquired by a consortium of South African investors. The deal was led by Bellair Road Investment Partners and Janic Capital, with participation from the Ferreira Family Office, the Moolman Family Office, and Investec.

Financial terms were not disclosed. The buyers said the acquisition keeps the travel booking business under South African ownership.

The transaction also marks the departure of LekkeSlaap co-founders Jonathan Womersley and Marcel van de Ghinste. Several long-standing shareholders are also exiting.

Operationally, the company will continue under its existing leadership team. CEO Frans Joubert remains in charge, and members of management also invested alongside the acquiring consortium.

Under the new structure, Herman Bosman has been appointed chairman. Bosman has held leadership roles at OUTsurance, RMB Holdings, and RMI Holdings. GetSmarter co-founder Robert Paddock has also joined the board and invested in the deal.

Why It Matters

LekkeSlaap is one of the more established online accommodation marketplaces in Southern Africa. The company traces its roots to a travel technology startup founded in 2009, and the platform launched in 2013.

It says it connects travellers to more than 40,000 properties and has served over nine million guests. For accommodation marketplaces, scale matters because more listings can attract more travellers, and more travellers can attract more property owners.

For the ecosystem, this is another example of a local exit where ownership stays domestic. The new shareholders say they plan to back the next growth phase with technology improvements, stronger partnerships, and continued investment in the booking platform.