LOUIS TRICHARDT – The dream that students of Singo Catering Services had, based on the promise of a job after training, turned out to be a nightmare.

This week students of the Singo Catering Services were up in arms and demanded their money back. They realised that the job promises were probably just idle words.

One of the students, Ms Mpho Tshidada (21) said that she had paid her R250 deposit and underwent training for two weeks, starting on April 8. Thereafter she did practicals for ten days at Bergwater Hotel. She said that they were promised jobs on completion of the training.

"We were promised that we would go to Giyani to work on Thursday, May 1. Because I failed to pay the balance of R250 on Wednesday April 30, I was told by phone not to go to Giyani. However, I decided to accompany my friend, who paid the full R500 to Giyani. My friend was told to be in Thohoyandou at 06:30. We arrived there at 06:32 and phoned Mr Singo. He said that we were too late," says Mpho.

The ladies consequently travelled on their own to the Limpopo Lodge in Giyani where they allegedly found Mr Singo.

"He told us to go back as we were late. We later saw him entering a taxi, so we decided to go and enquire at the hotel. We were told earlier that the whole group would work there on May 15, but the hotel manager knew nothing about that. He also said that he had no employment for waiters. He only needed temporary staff for specific functions." Tshidada said that they were promised certificates, which never materialised.

Another complainant, Ms Cynthia Moloto (26) said that she underwent the two weeks training, because Mr Singo had told her mother that he had a lot of jobs. "I do not want to do the practicals, because I saw that things are not going straight. I want my money back," Moloto said.

Ms Hilda Phadziri (30) went for two days training before she stopped. "Somebody warned me, so I dropped out of the course and came to collect my money. They said I would get R230 of my deposit back."

They last saw Mr Lufuno Singo on Friday (2nd) when he allegedly told them that he was going to the bank. He never returned to the office where they were waiting. The office is the one next to office 3 on the first floor in the Checkers Arcade of the Noor Centre. Office three is occupied by MSMM Inc. (Maluleke Seriti Makume Matlala Incorporated). The personnel of MSMM said that they had not seen Mr Singo since last Friday. Only his administrative officer was there. The administrative officer confirmed on May 2 that Singo Catering Services had finished two training schools for waiters and waitresses in April and had two schools running. The advert that lured the students read that casino and hotel staff were required, waiters, waitresses, bartenders and chefs. It said that no experience was needed and promised job assistance after training. The advert ended with "Date of appointment 1st, 2nd and 3rd of April 2003", but the three dates were crossed out. The cell number of Mr Singo 082 476 9336 was not answered all week.

It could be that it was not the first time round for this scheme to trick people. Ms Tshidada said the same promises were made to her friend, Mary Marandela in 2000.

"Mary paid the R500 for the training and was promised a job at a hotel. The job never materialised, though he did give her a certificate." The complainants again waited in vain for Mr Singo on Monday (5th), adamant that they want their money back.