Mel Viljoen has returned to social media after being released from a United States ICE detention centre.
The former Real Housewives personality was released from the Denver Contract Detention Facility on 22 May 2026.
According to reports, her release followed a judge’s approval of her application for voluntary departure from the United States. This means she was allowed to leave the country at her own expense.
Her return to Instagram quickly caught attention.
Viljoen posted an image of herself with US President Donald Trump, with both appearing to give a thumbs up to the camera. The image appears to be AI-generated.
She captioned the post: “This didn’t age well.”
Past Trump Support Resurfaces
The post comes after Viljoen previously voiced strong support for Trump.
She had reportedly said that “Trump is right about everything” and made claims about white people being killed in South Africa.
Those comments helped draw attention to her and her husband, Peet Viljoen, among far-right users online.
However, the report states that both Mel and Peet have since said they misjudged Trump and have publicly withdrawn their support.
Mel also followed up her Trump post with a selfie showing fresh nails and a blowout, suggesting she is trying to move forward after her release.
Peet Viljoen Still Detained
While Mel Viljoen has been released, Peet Viljoen remains in detention.
He is reportedly being held at the California City Detention Facility, where he is waiting for a hearing before an immigration judge.
The couple have also faced controversy in South Africa.
The report states that the Viljoens face multiple criminal and civil charges linked to past fraudulent business dealings.
Private investigator Mike Bolhuis reportedly confirmed that the National Prosecuting Authority has active criminal cases against them, with further investigations still ongoing.
South Africans Continue Watching the Case
The Viljoens’ story has sparked major attention online, with South Africans reacting to the latest developments across social media.
For now, Mel Viljoen is out of ICE custody and back online.
But questions remain about what happens next, especially with Peet Viljoen still detained and legal matters reportedly still active in South Africa.
I’m a writer, editor and software developer at Newsroom ZA.
I build things, break them (on purpose), then turn the chaos into clean, readable stories. You’ll usually find me bouncing between breaking news, politics and entertainment.