⚠️ WARNING: SUNSMART SOLARBAY HELLOSOLAR HEATSMART SUN SMART SOLAR - ADVENTURE MINISTRY - MAD RHINO GEAR - SCAM ALERT ⚠️
Public service announcement - Solar industry SCAM
This is a public service announcement by victims of Jonathan Clive Stephenson, Wendy Stephenson & Themba Phillip Tsotetsi.
🔴 WARNING: Avoid sunsmart.co.za hellosolar.co.za heatsmart.co.za adventureministry.org madrhino.co.za or any company associated with:
- Jonathan Clive Stephenson (sometimes uses the name Grant Mansell)
RSA ID:810627 XXXX 08 4
- Wendy Stephenson
RSA ID:710316 XXXX 08 0
- Themba Phillip Tsotetsi
RSA ID:881104 XXXX 08 6
Eskom failure creates demand for Solar PV solutions
Due to corruption and incompetence, the South Africa national grid operator (Eskom) is failing and unable to provide a reliable electrical supply. To address a limited electrical supply, Eskom has:
- Implemented daily rotational blackouts to prevent a grid collapse caused by demand exceeding supply, aka Load Shedding.
See MyBoadband Stage 8 Load Shedding warning
See Wikipedia South African energy crisis - Increased tariffs exponentially to recover lost revenue due to illegal connections, theft, corruption, increased staffing, etc.
See PowerOptimal report Eskom tariff increases vs inflation since 1988
These two factors resulted in South African home owners purchasing Solar PV systems to overcome these two issues. Unscrupulous South African scammers have exploited the high consumer demand and set up fake web sites that offer Solar PV products and services. The websites are professionally setup and use fake “stock” photographs of installations, product photographs, reviews, promotions, SOE, etc to attract victims.
Solar Solutions offered
Products offered on sunsmart.co.za solarbay.co.za hellosolar.co.za heatsmart.co.za include:
- Solar Photovoltaic (PV) Panels
- Grid Tie Inverters
- Hybrid Inverters
- Lithium Batteries
- Installation and commissioning of the equipment
- Certified installation (Certificate of Compliance - CoC)
Upfront Deposits & Payments (aka Advance Fee Scam)
Payments are upfront via Credit Card or ETF (Electronic Funds Transfer).
Once they have your payment, they fail to deliver your purchase.
Due to corruption and incompetence within the South African criminal justice system and high costs of litigation most victims are unable to recover their funds.
🔴 AVOID sunsmart.co.za hellosolar.co.za heatsmart.co.za adventureministry.org madrhino.co.za or any company associated with:
Media reports
Social media & media reports related to Jonathan Clive Stephenson, Themba Phillip and Wendy Stephenson:
- https://www.hellopeter.com/we-group-africa-ta-we-drill-africa
- https://www.hellopeter.com/solar-bay
- https://www.hellopeter.com/hello-solar
- https://www.hellopeter.com/solar-bay/reviews/solar-bay-jonathan-stephenson-beware-3378203
- https://www.hellopeter.com/hello-solar/reviews/beware-this-business-owner-has-history-of-taking-lots-of-money-and-never-delivering-3664435
- https://www.sasheriff.co.za/aup11808/aid6023/44-bergvliet-road,-meadowridge,-southern-suburbs,-7806.html
- https://powerforum.co.za/topic/9785-the-official-list-of-solar-power-scammers
- https://www.greengazette.co.za/pages/legal-notice-33465-of-20-aug-2010-vol-542-b-part-3-of-3_20100820-LNB-33465-008
- https://m-net.dstv.com/show/carte-blanche/season/33/news/solar-powerless-carte-blanche-sunday-17-october-2021/news
- Twitter - Carte Blanche Promo for exposé “Solar Power(less)” - 17 Oct 2021
- FIN24 - Solar horror story: Clients say company leaves work unfinished, refuses refunds - 29 Jan 2022
- Youtube - Carte Blanche exposé “Solar Power(less)” - Solarbay, Hellosolar and Jonathan Stephenson - 17 Oct 2021
- DSTV - Carte Blanche exposé “Solar Power(less)” - Solarbay, Hellosolar and Jonathan Stephenson - 17 Oct 2021
- FIN24 - Irate clients accuse solar company boss of failing to deliver, withholding refunds - 3 Jun 2024
🔴 AVOID: Sunsmart Solarbay Hellosolar Heatsmart Adventure Ministry Mad Rhino Gear (South Africa)
Detailed information
- Jonathan Clive Stephenson and Themba Phillip Tsotetsi have a number of scam companies registered
- List of companies registered to Jonathan Clive Stephenson / Themba Phillip Tsotetsi
- Jonathan Clive Stephenson has had at least two Sale In Execution of Judgement Orders granted against him
- Sale In Execution of Judgement Orders
- Detailed analysis of how, why and evolution of the Jonathan Clive Stephenson scam
- How the Jonathan Clive Stephenson scam works
- Public photos of Jonathan Clive Stephenson from social media
- Public photos of Jonathan Clive Stephenson
- South Africa Police SAPS cases opened against Jonathan Clive Stephenson
- Police cases opened against Jonathan Clive Stephenson
- Take action against Jonathan Clive Stephenson
- Take action against Jonathan Clive Stephenson
If you have a tip off, suggestions, additional information please send an email to info@hello-solar.co.za