Let Justice Be Served

NTHA COLUMN

LET JUSTICE BE SERVED Members gave with hands and hearts to defend our cause

they had no problem with us trying to help. Mrs Lushaba, on the other hand, felt there was no need as they have an attorney representing the case plus fifteen members who are so called friends of the court.

Funding was a big stress as advocates do not come cheap, but an association must do its best to ensure members are represented. We then went back and called a general meeting to inform members of this challenge. They gave us an idea for how to raise funds: everyone trading with a permit must contribute something and this was agreed, and members from all the branches donated R500 per trader; the NTHA came up with the deposit of R100 000. In addition, all 27 branches contributed R3000 each, plus an additional hundred per person from those who were trading with different licences.

As a result, advocate Dali Mpofu represented us in court. Members were all in the court chanting and peacefully singing and praying. Judgment was reserved.

We would like to extend a big thank you to all the chairpersons of the branches for their great spirit in helping with the contributions and for telling members about the importance of this matter. A big thank you to all the members who contributed their R500 from their small businesses, which are not even making much profit because of the big white businesses that are mushrooming and are so hard to compete with. Viva, traders! Forward with making sure that we keep the future of our industry to ourselves as black South African men and women of business.

We would also like to announce that NTHA President Fanny Mokoena and General Secretary Phumzile Ratladi are sitting on the Black Business Chamber under Nedlac, and are busy with the bill. Get the full story in the next issue of Spotong

NTHA has promised that this year it will focus on the Yeoville case, which influences the future of all permit holders in the trading industry. We will fulfil the promise to help where we can, as an association that represents members who are permit holders and have invested in their businesses for fifteen years. Some have more than three employees, some owe bonds, some owe vehicle loans, etc. Most are taking care of their families and sending their kids to school.

All of this has to be done so that traders can trade with licences, as we were promised by the late MEC Kholisile Nkosipendule. The man had a clear vision for this industry: if permits can be converted, black business will remain with the rightful owners, and the economy of the country will have a great chance to grow.

On 6 February 2017, the executive of NTHA had a meeting at Umnotho House with the legal team of the Liquor Board, represented by Khanyiso Nabo (Director), Funeka Jobe (Chief Director), and Cleo Bodibe Lushaba (Director for Education). The NTHA was represented by Fanny Mokoena (President ), Monde Dhladhla (Deputy President), Phumzile Ratladi (Secretary), Meisie Twala (Chairperson of the Diepkloof Branch), and Rose Pieterse (Treasurer of Kliptown). The meeting was proposed by the NTHA with the aim of asking the Board’s legal team to update us on the Yeoville case. The second reason was to ask if there were any funds reserved for the industry. Cleo told us that there were no funds and that because Chief Director Martin Stevens was on leave, there was not much she could do. However, Khanyiso Nabo did update us about the case, which was held on 27 February 2017; it might take as long as a week as it had to be concluded. They also told us they were about to appoint a new state attorney, as the one they had for the past three years had personal commitments and the dates clashed. We also told them that we wanted to help them by appointing an advocate, as we were advised that the fifteen members who are friends of the court are not enough, as they were representing the whole of the Gauteng trading community – there is a need for associations to take part. Phumzile consulted with three associations that are also representing members with permits and told them that funds were a problem to all. We also tried companies like Distell and Heineken but without success. Hence we asked the Board to fund or help us, but we were told there was nothing that they could do without the chief director. We were however encouraged by Khanyiso, who supported the decision we had taken as an association and advised that as long we do not take the case back,