Sekunjalo Chairman Dr Iqbal Survé has paid tribute to the founder of Pick n Pay, one of the biggest retail stores in South Africa, Raymond Ackerman.
In extending his condolences to the Ackerman family, he described Ackerman as a real icon, a fantastic entrepreneur, and a philanthropist.
"He contributed immensely towards philanthropy; he was one of the few business leaders in the retail sector who gave non-white people an opportunity to rise in the ranks of Pick n Pay.
“In fact, I know one of the two CFOs of Pick n Pay who was actually of colour and from the Muslim community, and that was testimony to the kind of culture that was present in the Pick n Pay fraternity,” he said.
Dr Survé further added that one of the main reasons he respects Ackerman tremendously is that when he was still chairman of the advisory board at the UCT Graduate School of Business, he was vital in the birth of the Raymond Ackerman Academy for entrepreneurial development.
"It was founded by the Ackerman family, and it was there to train people in entrepreneurship, and I am very grateful to Raymond Ackerman and the Ackerman family for having made that contribution towards the university.
Dr Survé further stated: "In 1999, Cape Times had a Businessman of the Year Award, and I think they called it the business personality of the year award.
"I had just left medicine, and at the beginning of 1999, I had just listed Sekunjalo Investment, which is different from Sekunjalo Holdings, to the Johannesburg Stock Exchange, and I was the youngest CEO of the JSE.
"Because of that, I was honoured by the Cape Times at the Business of the Year Award, and the top award was given to Johan Rupert, and the upcoming Businessman of the Year award was given to me.
"During the award ceremony, Ackerman came and congratulated me for having received that award, and then I said to him, You don’t know me, but I know, and he said to me, How come? I told him I grew up in Kenilworth, and he was shocked.
"I said to him I grew up in Kenilworth below the railway line, and I told him who my father was, and he got quite shocked because he knew my dad. He said I've been to your shop many times below the railway lines, and I said my dad always spoke very fondly of you.
"He was very shocked. I then said to him, I will always be grateful to you. He said, Why?" Well, my dad was a small café owner, and he supported a family of about 20 people, including his younger brothers and sister, an extended family.
Dr Survé also recalled that the Ackerman family was the first to give his family business an opportunity to sell their spices at Pick n Pay.
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