Pick n Pay's Emerging Market Division, which focuses on developing and growing black entrepreneurs for the company's Franchise Division, has converted the township's former Score store into a PnP family franchise store.
The company announced in October 2007 that a large number of its Score stores would be converted to PnP branded family stores, creating 82 new black entrepreneurs and, in most cases, doubling the number of employees in each store.
The Osizweni branch is the 19th store to be converted, and the first in KwaZulu-Natal. It has been designed as a world-class store, carrying ranges that effectively reflect the needs, demands, particular product trends and personality of its customers.
For Maziya and Thatcher, owning their own store is a dream come true and the two say they are looking forward to a long and wonderful working relationship.
Maziya, who was born and bred in Ermelo in Mpumalanga, has a National Higher Certificate in internal auditing and a National Higher Certificate in retail management. He started his working career in the jewellery industry, first with Vukani-Ubuntu Community Development Projects, an organisation which focused on projects related to the training of manufacturing jewelers and then as head of the Atteridgeville Jewellery Project in Pretoria.
However, he says, he always dreamed of working for himself and his first venture, while still working for the jewellery project, was when he negotiated a deal with Cell C to place their community chat phones on the campus of the Tshwane University of Technology. This project lasted six months and, during this time, Maziya investigated what the Pick n Pay Academy had to offer.
"I decided it was for me, resigned from the jewellery business and spent two wonderful years on the academy's training programme. I gained a huge amount of knowledge and valuable skills, both of which I will put to good use in our new store," he says. “I need to use the skills I have gained to grow and empower myself and then share this with people I can reach."
Durban-born Thatcher has been associated with Pick n Pay since his school days, working as a casual in the Durban Hyper store's bakery and toy departments. He knew from the start that he wanted to be in retailing full time and in 1998 he started as a trainee in Pick n Pay's Newcastle store where, incidentally, he met his wife.
“Fate plays a strange hand and now I find myself back in Newcastle after 20 years,” says Thatcher.
Over the years he was exposed to new experiences and challenges and although, he says, times were tough, they were also very rewarding.
In 1996 Conrad was promoted to regional manager for Natal and, he says, he worked very hard to be the best he could be.
“I am very goal orientated and driven to produce positive results, no matter what the obstacles are. Having tasted success in the corporate world I decided I needed a bigger challenge and investigated starting my own business. Just over 12 years ago I resigned from Pick n Pay and started my own small store in Durban. Then, nine years ago, my wife and I bought a Pick n Pay store in Pietermaritzburg and have run the store ever since....
“I am ... very pleased to be able to share and impart my knowledge and experience with ambitious and hard working people like Mlungisi,” he says.
Both men have a passion for the community they work in and, to that end, will be supporting four key community projects - the Rhythm of the Nation Cultural Organisation; the Osizweni Wheeling Buffaloes Disability Sports Club; the Masizithukise Youth Club and the Amajuba Youth Centre. These projects deal with combating HIV/AIDS; helping disabled people play sport; focusing on the needs of young people in the arts and culture fields and co-ordinating sports and recreational activities amongst young people in Newcastle, Utrecht and Dannhauser.
The Osizweni Pick n Pay store carries a wide range of merchandise to suit all needs, from the frequent shoppers to bulk buyers. The merchandise is backed by a full convenience range; a first-class bakery; a top range of meats and poultry and a wide range of fresh produce.
Mlungisi and Conrad are committed to offering their customers an enjoyable, satisfying and efficient shopping experience in a pleasant environment with superb service complemented by on-going promotions and great prices.
“We are inspired by the people of Osizweni and look forward to engaging with them,” they say.
