Solly Bux, businessman who helped Judge Zondo as a student, dies

Suleman “Solly” Bux, the chairperson of the Zondo and Bux Educational Trust, has died.

The trust confirmed his death in a statement on social media released on Saturday.

“The Zondo and Bux Educational Trust is saddened by the passing away of its chairman Mr Solly Bux and conveys its heartfelt condolences to the Bux family,” the statement said.

Bux has been praised for his role in helping Deputy Chief Justice Raymond Zondo during his youth.

When Zondo was still a student, he approached Bux to arrange a loan that would allow his mother to buy groceries. Bux was the owner of Kwa Moosa Wholesalers in the KwaZulu-Natal town of Ixopo at the time.

“Without batting an eyelid, nor setting anything down on paper, Mr Bux gave him a voucher for his mother to collect groceries from his shop on a monthly basis for the three years during which he was going to be at university,” South African Muslim Charitable Trust (SAMCT) social responsibility co-ordinator Rasheeda Motala previously told News24.

When he returned to settle the loan, Bux told him to pay it forward.

A visibly emotional Zondo recounted this story during his interview for the post of Deputy Chief Justice of South Africa.

About 40 years after the act of kindness, they formed the Zondo and Bux Educational Trust.

“The Zondo and Bux Educational Trust was established in 2018, after a dinner held in October 2017 to recognise and pay tribute to Mr Bux for the assistance provided to Judge Zondo some 40 years earlier,” the organisation said in a statement.

“Mr Bux was appointed chairman of the trust since inception and will be missed.”

READ NEXT: ‘Hopefully Zondo will get answers…’

For more news your way, download The Citizen’s app for iOS and Android.