Transnet ditched a black empowerment catering company after it complained that a white company had used it as a front — but the white company has been retained by the transport parastatal.
Arejeng Caterers and Sinclairs Signature Specialities are at the centre of the saga, which started in June when the two companies formed a joint venture to bid for a big catering and events management tender at Transnet’s business unit, Esselenpark.
Esselenpark is the single largest sandstone complex in South Africa and is more than 50 years old. It offers events management services, restaurants, an Olympic-size swimming pool and hotels with more than 120 luxury rooms.
The Arejeng-Sinclairs joint venture won the events management and catering contract at Esselenpark in July. Two months later Esselenpark’s management ended the contract after complaints by Arejeng.
Arejeng directors complained in one letter to Esselenpark management that it had been used as a front by Sinclairs to secure the contract. The company also accused Sinclairs of failing to manage diversity and of failing to transfer skills to its empowerment partner.
“When they [Sinclairs] came to us they thought we are a group of black women whom they can toss around and manipulate and later claim that they have empowered us, while we have empowered them economically by helping them win the tender, and this is exactly what they wanted in the first place,” Arejeng wrote.
“They [Sinclairs] expected to gain profit at our expense going up and down for them as white bosses. They appointed the employees of the joint venture without consultation.”
In response, Raymond Kodisang, Esselenpark’s executive manager of hospitality, ended the Arejeng-Sinclairs contract.
In a letter dated October 1 Kodisang said the joint venture had breached its status as a black-empowerment company.
Arejeng-Sinclairs was given one month’s notice, which ended on October 31. Despite this, the Mail & Guardian found this week that Sinclairs is still providing services to the parastatal, without its empowerment partner.
Esselenpark’s management confirmed this week that Sinclairs was one of its service providers, but it said the company did not have a contract with the parastatal.
Fikile Komotolo, Esselenpark’s spokesperson, said an arrangement had been made for Sinclairs to help out at functions until a new tender process had been completed.
“They are just there for a week or two because we gave them specific functions to deal with,” Komotolo said.
Asked about Arejeng’s whereabouts, Komotolo said: “We really don’t know what happened to Arejeng.”
Ryan Donald, one of Sinclairs’s directors, declined to comment this week, saying all questions should be directed to Esselenpark’s management.