The "good Samaritan" who offered to solve the Khayelitsha open toilets controversy by donating 100 enclosures, has been summonsed in connection with R155 000 owed to a Kuils River businesswoman.
Jeff Fansciscus, the owner of Darrow Pre-Cast, was hailed by the SA National Civics Organisation (Sanco) at the weekend when it disclosed his proposal to establish a factory in Makhaza, Khayelitsha, to train unemployed residents how to manufacture pre-cast concrete products, and to donate the first 100 pre-cast toilets made during the training.
On Tuesday it emerged that businesswoman Theresa Cupido paid Fansciscus to secure a R3.1 million loan for her business.
Cupido's lawyer, Dirk Kotze, said: "He (Fansciscus) gave my client certain information that he is connected to the ANC. This information moved her to enter into an agreement with him, but he never came up with the amount."
In a letter attached to the summons, Fansciscus said the R155 000 was "only to confirm compliance with lending regulations" and would be refunded if the loan was cancelled.
Cupido later e-mailed him, saying: "I have been taken for a ride as nothing is transparent."
Fansciscus confirmed he has received the summons.
"It is nothing but a business transaction that has gone wrong and we are prepared to defend it. This matter is sub judice and we'd prefer not to comment until we've finalised our response," he said, adding that he had considered suing Cupido for defamation.
Meanwhile, he repeated his earlier assertion that his offer to help solve the toilets debacle was nothing but a business decision. Although he supports the ANC, there was nothing political about his offer.
In correspondence with Sanco, Fansciscus said he had been out of the country for 25 years due to his involvement in the struggle.
His company was established in Namibia and had worked in underdeveloped areas in northern Namibia and southern Angola.
Fansciscus contacted Sanco via community facilitator Stef Snel whom he was referred to by Mitchells Plain policing cluster head Jeremy Vearey.
He also spoke to ANC MP Marius Fransman who advised that proper channels be followed to secure land for the project.
Fansciscus wrote: "Fransman also suggested we quickly forge ahead with a solution and leave politics to politicians. I am aware the Sanco president is an ANC MP and I'm concerned that to ask Sanco to assist would come across as an ANC solution.
"I do not understand the political dynamics of this unfortunate situation and we can ill afford to sit back and wait for the politicians to conclude this 'seemingly childish cat fight' at the expense of these unfortunate people."
Fansciscus, who said he grew up in Athlone, repeated this week: "For me it is purely a business decision."
Makhaza residents, the ANC Youth League and community leaders have welcomed his move to help while Cape Town mayor Dan Plato confirmed that the council was approached.
"He (Fansciscus) sent me a fax and asked for a meeting. I do not have details and will have to meet him first and so I'm not in a position to comment. They ask for a couple of things. They are asking for land. The necessary processes need to be followed."
Snel said: "I was approached by a third party and I helped Jeff get connected to the community. He said he did not want to get involved in any political dispute."
# On Monday it was incorrectly stated that about 50 Makhaza residents had used open toilets for two years. The families used them from November last year until the toilets were removed last month.
- Cape Times
Jeff Fansciscus, the owner of Darrow Pre-Cast, was hailed by the SA National Civics Organisation (Sanco) at the weekend when it disclosed his proposal to establish a factory in Makhaza, Khayelitsha, to train unemployed residents how to manufacture pre-cast concrete products, and to donate the first 100 pre-cast toilets made during the training.
On Tuesday it emerged that businesswoman Theresa Cupido paid Fansciscus to secure a R3.1 million loan for her business.
Cupido's lawyer, Dirk Kotze, said: "He (Fansciscus) gave my client certain information that he is connected to the ANC. This information moved her to enter into an agreement with him, but he never came up with the amount."
In a letter attached to the summons, Fansciscus said the R155 000 was "only to confirm compliance with lending regulations" and would be refunded if the loan was cancelled.
Cupido later e-mailed him, saying: "I have been taken for a ride as nothing is transparent."
Fansciscus confirmed he has received the summons.
"It is nothing but a business transaction that has gone wrong and we are prepared to defend it. This matter is sub judice and we'd prefer not to comment until we've finalised our response," he said, adding that he had considered suing Cupido for defamation.
Meanwhile, he repeated his earlier assertion that his offer to help solve the toilets debacle was nothing but a business decision. Although he supports the ANC, there was nothing political about his offer.
In correspondence with Sanco, Fansciscus said he had been out of the country for 25 years due to his involvement in the struggle.
His company was established in Namibia and had worked in underdeveloped areas in northern Namibia and southern Angola.
Fansciscus contacted Sanco via community facilitator Stef Snel whom he was referred to by Mitchells Plain policing cluster head Jeremy Vearey.
He also spoke to ANC MP Marius Fransman who advised that proper channels be followed to secure land for the project.
Fansciscus wrote: "Fransman also suggested we quickly forge ahead with a solution and leave politics to politicians. I am aware the Sanco president is an ANC MP and I'm concerned that to ask Sanco to assist would come across as an ANC solution.
"I do not understand the political dynamics of this unfortunate situation and we can ill afford to sit back and wait for the politicians to conclude this 'seemingly childish cat fight' at the expense of these unfortunate people."
Fansciscus, who said he grew up in Athlone, repeated this week: "For me it is purely a business decision."
Makhaza residents, the ANC Youth League and community leaders have welcomed his move to help while Cape Town mayor Dan Plato confirmed that the council was approached.
"He (Fansciscus) sent me a fax and asked for a meeting. I do not have details and will have to meet him first and so I'm not in a position to comment. They ask for a couple of things. They are asking for land. The necessary processes need to be followed."
Snel said: "I was approached by a third party and I helped Jeff get connected to the community. He said he did not want to get involved in any political dispute."
# On Monday it was incorrectly stated that about 50 Makhaza residents had used open toilets for two years. The families used them from November last year until the toilets were removed last month.
- Cape Times
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