Investor consortium led by Bellair Road and Janic Capital acquires LekkeSlaap

LekkeSlaap, the South African accommodation booking platform, has been acquired by a consortium of investors for an undisclosed amount, Disrupt Africa reports.

The deal was co-led by Bellair Road Investment Partners and Janic Capital, with the Ferreira Family Office, the Moolman Family Office and Investec also taking part. The current executive team has invested alongside them and will keep running the business. Founders Jonathan Womersley and Marcel van de Ghinste have exited.

Womersley and van de Ghinste started the company in 2009 as TravelGround, with 300 listed establishments. LekkeSlaap launched in 2013 as South Africa's first Afrikaans leisure accommodation booking platform and later overtook its sister brand. It now lists more than 40,000 properties across Southern Africa and has served more than nine million guests since it began.

Herman Bosman, former chief executive of RMB and chairman of Outsurance Group, will chair the board, and GetSmarter co-founder Robert Paddock has joined it. Both invested in the acquisition. Chief executive Frans Joubert said the business remains local and independent in spirit, and that its new partners will let it aim higher.