The All Progressives Congress (APC) in South Africa has appealed to Nigerians in the country to embrace lawful employment opportunities and steer clear of criminal activities and illegal behaviour.
The APC South Africa chairman, Oluwatoyin Oyekanmi, in a statement on Tuesday, seen by LEADERSHIP, said the appeal follows the mismanagement of his company by his compatriots sometime last year.
According to him, he was at the time in Nigeria actively engaged in President Bola Tinubu’s presidential campaign.
He said, “On October 2022, at the commencement of then-APC Presidential candidate, now the President and commander of the Nigerian Armed Forces – Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu. The Chairman APC South Africa – Hon Oluwatoyin Oyekanmi, entered into a management agreement of its newly built Jollof Cafe Randpark Ridge branch located at Shop 6, Eagle’s Landing shopping centre, with Mrs Anthonia Oriss and her husband, which cost R1.5 million Rand with Naira equivalent being N90 million naira while the chairman was away between Nigeria and South Africa supporting the Nigerian Presidential Campaign.
“The couple ran the branch from October 2022 until it was shut down in December 2023 by the centre’s management due to rental indebtedness and mismanagement.
“During the cause of investigation by the Police and board of the company led by Hon. Oluwatosin Oyekanmi, the manager of the defunct branch was drafted to a new branch called Jollof Cafe Midrand, located in Shop 26, Kyalami On Main Shopping Center in Kyalami, Midrand, to work while the investigation continues.
“On the 5th of January 2024 at 9 pm in Jollof Cafe Midrand, General Manager/Co-founder of the company – Mrs Olujumoke Oyekanmi, during her night round of inspection, caught Mrs Anthonia Oriss and Mrs Abigail Adeyanju, a chef at the branch with stolen orders worth R5,770 in South African Currency and N350,000.00 in Nigerian currency with the two suspects.
“The South African Police were immediately invited for investigation and onward detention of the accused on the same day.
“The accused were charged to the magistrate court in Midrand to determine their faith in the Republic of South Africa”, said Oyekanmi.