Durban - Pacina Retail, which recently dumped the R2.1 billion school nutrition tender, has now won the backing of two pro-black business movements with one of them even distancing itself from a criminal case opened against the company.
On Friday Bonginkosi Thusini, the secretary-general of the Umsinsi movement told IOL that they are behind Pacina Retail, which is owned by Manzini Zungu.
Thusini’s comment came after the movement wrote to Zungu and distanced itself from Xolani Dube, who pressed criminal charges against him and his company accusing them of winning the tender through misrepresentation.
In the letter, Thusini told Manzini that they believe that he was able to carry out his work as expected.
“We as Umsinsi are saddened and therefore distance ourselves from a certain individual that went and opened a court case against Mr Zungu, of Pacina Retail Pty Ltd, without consulting members of Umsinsi Wokuzimelela and using the letterhead of Umsinsi Wokuzimela without authorisation.
“It was brought to our attention that Pacina Retail Pty Ltd did experience logistical difficulties but, however, Umsinsi Wokuzimela also discovered that on the 14 April, Pacina Retail Pty Ltd did deliver food to all pick-up warehouses in KwaZulu-Natal,” reads part of the letter.
When asked about the matter, Thusini said Dube is not a member of Umsinsi and they only roped him as an adviser but he was now overshadowing them.
“Xolani is from Xubera, not Umsinsi. Umsinsi belongs to us and he knows that very well.
“We have told him to back off and stop using Umsinsi to fight his personal battles, that is not what we stand for,” Thusini said.
He added that there is no way they can attack Pacina, which is black-owned when they are fighting for blacks to be empowered.
“We are pro-black and we back Pacina Retail,” he said.
Dube suggested to IOL that the letter to Zungu was fake as the letterheads were not genuine.
“Surely you know our letterhead!” Dube said via Whatsapp.
Also coming to Zungu and Pacina’s defence was the Black Business Federation, with its president Malusi Zondi saying it was sabotaged during the tender delivery process.
“We stand firmly behind the black-owned Pacina Retail, under Manzini Zungu and insist that he has done no wrong and is instead a victim of institutionalised racism.
“The Department of Education has failed to disclose that Pacina Retail was able to provide over 1 600 suppliers with food to distribute to schools despite the challenges.
“We wish to thank Manzini for doing all that he could in his personal capacity to ensure that food reached schools despite sabotage from different entities.
“We on the ground saw this food reaching schools and dismiss the lies that no food arrived in schools.
“We are very worried and disappointed that a black government is failing to defend a black-owned business in this time of attack,” Zondi said in a statement.
sihle.mavuso@inl.co.za
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