The COVID-19 pandemic has inspired great patronage and empathy amongst citizens, with many lending a helping hand during times of great distress and uncertainty. Sanlam has been one of many companies that has played its part in helping fight the pandemic and protecting citizens.

The company recently donated over 2 000 face masks to staff and students in the Faculty of Economic and Management Sciences at the University of Pretoria. Representatives of Sanlam attended a hand-over event on 23 February 2022, hosted by the Faculty, where they presented the masks.

The donation was timely, as activities on campus slowly return to some normalcy. The UP Hatfield Campus has been a buzz lately with the return of staff and some students. This has meant strict adherence to COVID-19 protocols and wearing personal protective equipment (PPE) to protect staff and students on campus.

                             Kopano Legote, Prof Margaret Chitiga-Mabugu, Tendani Matshisevhe and Gert Bezuidenhout

Speaking at the event, Tendani Matshisevhe, Head of Group Business Development at Sanlam, said the donation was driven by the company’s desire to contribute to the protection of staff and students.

“We decided to get involved because we wanted to protect our people – our clients and prospective clients,” he said.

He shared that during the outbreak of COVID-19, Sanlam set out almost R30 million for PPE. “We wanted people to live longer so that family structures can remain intact for longer. When this happens, it means the economy also grows,” expressed Matshisevhe. In his closing remarks, he said they are looking forward to future collaborations with EMS and getting involved with students in some of their projects. 

Prof Margaret Chitiga-Mabugu, Dean of the Faculty of Economic and Management Sciences, expressed gratitude to Sanlam, stating that she is humbled by their generosity and hopes that it be extended beyond the face masks, as the Faculty fosters a long-lasting relationship with Sanlam.

“We are very grateful for this gift. This is the beginning of a new partnership between you and us. We are always looking for funding for our students and for our research. We want to advance our society and by working with Sanlam, we can impact society – not only training our students who could later work for Sanlam, but also conducting research that matters.”

The hand-over event was also attended by the Faculty’s student house, Commercii, who also thanked Sanlam for the PPE donation. “This means a lot for us, because COVID-19 is not yet over and these masks will protect students that are attending face-to-face classes on campus,” said Commercii Chairperson, Kopano Legote.