Staff Reporter
TRUSTCO and its close to a 1000 employees in Namibia, Sierra Leone, South Africa and Mauritius, support the 2% once off voluntary salary contribution towards the most current drought emergency.
The Managing Director of TRUSTCO, Dr Quinton van Rooyen, made this announcement at a staff function in Windhoek.
He assured Trustconians in the spirit of TRUSTCO — which is consistently voted amongst the best company to work for — that it will pay the contribution on behalf of staff members who already feel the pinch of economic difficulty and in the full spirit of Namibian values.
“I am proud to have staff that already takes care of their families and vulnerable members of their community and carry the burden of national responsibility with pride.
“TRUSTCO employees are shareholders and broad-based empowered, after the company pioneered shareholding and wealth creation amongst its employees. Most of all, they are Namibians, Sierra Leoneans, South Africans and Mauritians with a value set of mutual assistance, because they are Africans, and the spirit of Ubuntu dwells amongst us. It is rooted in a permanent sense of responsibility towards each other which is kept alive by empathy for the thousands that are unemployed and additionally burdened by a devastating drought, the worst in the past 100 years,” van Rooyen said.
Those farmers, who cast their eyes to the heavens for hope, now have to cast their hope on Namibians, while their only livelihoods are scorched in front of those same eyes.
Dr Van Rooyen referred to heartless and insensitive remarks on social media platforms that the 2% issue has brought forth, and said he refuses to let social media platforms determine the values of Namibians or bring the sense of unity under suspicion during difficult and challenging times. The issue of the 2% voluntarily once off contribution clearly was well meant and a difficult request for any government. It was however bungled by officials and administrators who demonstrated power they never had.
He said spontaneous patriotism and humanity guided him and that he refuses to be part of humankind that can be legislated, because then there is no conscience.
TRUSTCO supports the 2% voluntary salary contribution request and will act when the applicable rules and regulations are promulgated by government and the Office of the President.
Dr van Rooyen reassured staff, who already volunteered for their salaries to be deducted, that they do not have to ask, because what they gave in spirit and example is more valuable than the monetary contributions.
TRUSTCO will pay the 2% contribution on their behalf so that they are not short of money to assist where they are already extending a helping hand.
“TRUSTCO and I am not part of the debate, we are part of the volunteers. We have a duty towards our fellow Namibians citizens who want to hear how they will be assisted, but must now listen to privileged Namibians who fight and try to settle petty differences through posturing,” he said.
Dr van Rooyen said good times will always follow a nation with values – a nation that can face hardship together. “We can argue about details after the vulnerable have been assisted.”
He pointed out that in a free, independent and democratic Namibia, political scores will be settled by the end of the year at the ballot box by social media maniacs.
Dr van Rooyen also said that only after Namibians have done everything humanly possible to pull each other through the worst economic and climatic disaster, can they learn from their hardships, identify mistakes and hold those to account that failed the poor and vulnerable.
“We cannot look for reasons and excuses not to volunteer. We must unify behind the values of a true Namibian nation which this harsh country demanded from our ancestors and will demand from our future generations, of which the Van Rooyens was privileged to receive a granddaughter six weeks ago.”
TRUSTCO staff was encouraged to individually reach out in their communities and families, and even if they can only offer solidarity and comfort, it will be a great step towards nationhood.
“This is the darkest hour in Namibia’s recent history. In a few years, generations will look back to this generation and remember how Namibian steel was tempered to withstand any storm and threat that they encountered. It is a historic opportunity to mould the nation into one where it remains a culture to pause and pick up the fallen.”
