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Transforming South African soc

The Sanlam Ubuntu-Botho Commun

The presentation was made to Mr Nelson Mandela who celebrates his 90th birthday on 18 July by Patrice Motsepe, Chairman of the Sanlam Ubuntu-Botho Community Development Trust and Johan van Zyl, CEO of Sanlam.

Seen here above presenting the cheque to Mr Mandela are:  Sanlam CEO Johan van Zyl (left), Mr Nelson Mandela, and Sanlam deputy chairman and chairman of Ubuntu-Botho, Mr Patrice Motsepe (right).  On the far right is Mr Roy Andersen, chairman of Sanlam.

At the presentation, Sanlam’s Group Chief Executive, Dr Johan van Zyl, paid tribute to Mr Mandela’s legacy of transforming South African society and of empowering South Africans to work together and build a non-racial democratic country.

“We decided to honour Mr Mandela’s legacy in the year of his ninetieth birthday with this donation to the Foundation."

"It is particularly appropriate, not least because Sanlam and Santam also turn 90 this year and we have much to celebrate, including a proud track record of successful partnership with Ubuntu-Botho that was formed in 2003.

“Through this partnership we strive to live and expand the values of transformation and upliftment, imprinted by Mr Mandela, within the business world.  The Sanlam group and its stakeholders are already reaping the rewards of this partnership and the principles upon which it operates.

“We are therefore pleased to support the legacy of Mr Mandela through this support of the Sanlam Ubuntu-Botho Community Development Trust in order to ensure that Mr Mandela’s unique legacy lives on.

“We wish the Foundation all the best in its endeavours and, from two 90-year olds to another, Sanlam and Santam, and Ubuntu-Botho Investments wish Mr Mandela a very happy birthday and a healthy and rewarding future.”

Mr Patrice Motsepe, chairman of Ubuntu-Botho Investments and of the Sanlam Ubuntu-Botho Community Development Trust said the Sanlam Ubuntu-Botho Community Development Trust’s donation to the Foundation represented the fruits of a successful commercial and communal upliftment partnership with Sanlam.

“The Sanlam Ubuntu-Botho partnership was born out of our joint strategies to reapply the principles of communal upliftment to all South Africans.

"These are the original principles upon which Sanlam was founded 90 years ago.

“When we chose Sanlam as our empowerment partner in 2003 it was on the basis of Sanlam’s track record and commitment to develop and contribute to the upliftment of the living conditions of all our people.

"That track record was also strengthened by our partnership and, together, Sanlam and Ubuntu-Botho Investments are now contributing to improving the living conditions of the poor and marginalised.

“Our partnership is certainly paying dividends in more ways than one. In 2007 the partnership enabled Ubuntu-Botho to pay a special dividend of R50 million to companies and entities representing millions of beneficiaries throughout South Africa.

“We are particularly proud and honoured to make this donation to Mr Mandela and the Foundation”, he said.

Mr Achmat Dangor, Chief Executive Officer of the Nelson Mandela Foundation commented: "We welcome this partnership and we are sure that it will lead to a long-term relationship that will help ensure the sustainability of the Nelson Mandela Foundation.”