Staff Reporter

The Sanlam Group has thrown its weight behind the fight against the spread of Coronavirus in Africa and other territories where it has a business presence outside of South Africa by donating R45 million (about US$2.3 million) to support various initiatives to fight the pandemic. 
Locally, Sanlam Namibia and its subsidiaries Welwitschia Insurance Brokers and Sanlam Investments recently pledged N$3.5 million to support various initiatives to combat the spread and the impact of Covid-19 virus in an effort to ‘flatten the curve’. The contribution comes in response to the call by President Hage Geingob for the private sector to come on board and support government’s efforts to fight the global pandemic. 
“We believe this effort will make a contribution not only towards the fight against the coronavirus but also towards securing a sustainable future for our country,” read a statement from Sanlam. Sanlam’s contribution will be used to assist with sanitation infrastructure (N$500 000), personal protection wear and equipment (N$500 000), the National Covid-19 Fund (N$500 000), e-learning and education (N$1 million), testing and screening equipment for the health sector (N$800 000) and nurses and doctors workstations (N$200 000). 
Before this pledge, and as an immediate response to the pandemic, Sanlam had already contributed about over N$222 000 towards the procurement of testing kits and protective wear to essential services workers of the City of Windhoek in their effort in fighting Covid-19 in the city. Additionally, Sanlam has already spent N$90 000 towards the provision of clean water to the vulnerable communities in Windhoek’s informal settlement. 
Furthermore, Sanlam also procured 60 PPE packs containing face masks, eye protection goggles, knee-length overshoes, hooded balaclava, protection gown, folio dress gowns and scrub suits worth N$198 000 for the Ministry of Health and Social Services. Finally, and on top of the pledged amount, Sanlam will also donate a Mobi-Van valued at N$500 000 to the Ministry of Health and Social Services to be used for transport for the testing, screening and general fight against Covid-19. 
In total over N$4 million has been contributed to the fight against the Covid-19 pandemic by Sanlam Namibia and its subsidiaries.
Announcing the pledge, Sanlam Group CEO Tertius Stears said: “Sanlam stands together with the entire Namibian nation and vows to support government and other relevant stakeholder’s initiatives in the fight against the Covid-19 pandemic”. 
He added that as a responsible corporate citizen, “we recognise that these are unusual times calling for concerted efforts from players from various sectors to hold hands and fight this pandemic together. As a nation, we are in uncharted waters in terms of the scale and danger the Covid-19 pandemic presents to our country”.  “It is now time for each and every one of us to demonstrate leadership and do our part to assist government in its effort to win this fight. We understand that this is not a fight for government alone and if we are to come out victorious, we all need to make every effort to join hands and face this pandemic head-on,” he concluded.