Death threats as Spar war intensifies
Death threats as war rages
‘WE give you four working days to respond or your stores will face the anger of the community.’
That was the blunt message to Spar mogul Harry Giannacopoulos by agitated protesters who handed over a memorandum at the gates of Town Square in the Richards Bay CBD on Friday morning.
They had marched from Junction14 (previously Taxi City) to show their disapproval of the continued closure of Renckens Superspar, whose gala opening was aborted a month ago following a court interdict issued in favour of the Giannacopoulos Group (GG).
It prevented the new Junction14 Spar and Tops stores from trading.
Friday’s orchestrated demonstration was headed by the Umfolozi Business Forum and Uthimba Lomphakathi, who – clearly either uninformed of, or unconcerned with, the details of the interdict – demanded the new Junction14 stores must open immediately.
They gave a number of ultimatums in the memo, the gist being that the general public – especially the elderly – were being penalised by having to walk long distances to shop and to access certain amenities such as grant services, paying of bills, and sending and receiving money.
However, the biggest issue related to employment, as the embargo on trade has meant that the newly-recruited staff have now lost their jobs.
‘The whole country is battling with unemployment, especially the youth, a situation made worse by the monster called Covid-19,’ said Siyabonga Biyela of Uthimba Lomphakathi.
‘These people have had to borrow bus fare and find places to sleep as they did not get the wages they were expecting.
‘They are disappointed and angry, and we blame the greed of Harry Giannacopoulos for this.
‘He just does not want to allow any competition.’
Death threats
Giannacopoulos responded: ‘I am in full agreement that Junction14 needs a supermarket that is convenient for the many people who pass through, but that is not the issue.
‘It has to do with the Spar Guild not adhering to its own rules by allowing another Spar owner to open in close proximity to an existing store owner.
‘According to the interdict issued by the Pietermaritzburg High Court, no trading may take place at the Junction14 Spar or Tops premises.
‘They knew the reality of the situation long before the proposed opening of the store.
‘This matter is being settled in court and it must be decided there.’
Giannacopoulos said that prior to the protest march he had received anonymous death threats and had opened a case with the SAPS.