Sasria 2010 Chairmans Charity Golf Day Address by the Chairman, Mr Cyril Ramaphosa

[Informal Opening] Honoured Guests, Colleagues, Associates and Friends, [Formal Opening] [Insert Attendee Details], Honoured Guests Let me begin by apologising for not being able to be with you today. As you may already know, I am honoured to have been appointed to serve on the National Planning Commission, and am tasked with attending my first meeting today. I am nevertheless with you in spirit, and thank all of you for your support for - and commitment to - the annual Sasria Chairmans Golf Day. This event not only gives us the rare opportunity to meet up and spend an enjoyable day together but, more importantly, it enables those of us privileged enough to be business leaders to give something back to the community. This year, all of the proceeds from this event will be donated to a charity and a development programme that are very close to my heart, Nurturing Orphans of Aids for Humanity or NOAH, and the South African Golf Development Board. And the reason these good causes mean so much to me is that, to paraphrase the famous Whitney Houston song, the children and the youth are our future. As I become part of the process of planning a better future for all South Africans, I am deeply mindful that our focus needs to be not only on the challenges of the present, but on creating a meaningful future for all of our children and youngsters. This means that we have to engage the issues head-on, step up to the plate, and do whatever it is that needs to be done in order to make that happen. It is a great sadness to me that so many of South Africas children have been orphaned or affected by Aids, for this shows that the tragedy of the pandemic is far
1

greater than any statistics can reveal. Not only are our communities being faced with the impact that Aids and deaths from Aids are having on them, but so many of our children are being deprived of not only their parents and other members of family, but of the future they might have had. It is for this reason that it is up to us, as civil society, to step into the breach, and to make a real difference to vulnerable and orphaned children. It is a sobering fact that there are currently 2.5 million orphans in South Africa, approximately half of whom have been orphaned by Aids. Many more are classified as vulnerable, and are living in deeply straitened circumstances. Noah was created in 2000 to address the needs of these children, and its vision is to give them the opportunity to grow up to be physically, emotionally and psychologically healthy. So it is with both pride and humility that we will be contributing to this cause today. Of course, we also want to give youngsters who have certain skills and talents the ability to be everything they can be, and that is why we will also be making a contribution to the South African Golf Development Board. The SAGDP is the official body responsible for golf development in the country. Over the past decade, it has coached over 17,000 youngsters, produced 82 junior provincial players, entered 1,500 players into SA Junior Golf Federation Games, and seen 31 of its most talented players being invited to join the prestigious Ernie Els and Fancourt Foundation. SAGDPs aim is to make golfing accessible to all South Africans, and to introduce them to the very real joys of the game. Also, as with all of the other sports development programmes in the country, its aim is to foster individual and community values such as personal integrity, co-operation and mutual respect. These will enable participants to be more than just good golfers, they will also enable them to play an active role in building the secure, sustainable, nonracist, non-sexist and participatory democracy we all dream of. And, needless to say, were looking forward to seeing the next generation of international golfing stars coming from right here in South Africa!

The objectives and goals of these two organisations reflect those of Sasria, and we are proud to be able to support their work. For over thirty years, Sasria has had a leading role to play in the insurance industry in South Africa, and it is the only company that underwrites such extraordinary events as public disorder, labour disturbances, civil unrest, strikes, lock-outs and acts of terrorism. Although the challenges we face in our society today are very different in nature to those we faced when Sasria was established, special risks remain a constant and ever-evolving aspect of overall risk management. As our country continues to engage at all levels in the international arena, and as we prepare to host the 2010 Fifa World Cup, we face risks we have never had to face before. One of these is the very real risk of international terrorism. Being part of the international community, and hosting such a significant international event, places South Africa in a different threat category. Although the country itself may not be a target, the very fact that we are hosting the event means that we need to be fully prepared for any eventuality. This is where Sasria, which is well equipped with knowledge resources and experience, has such an important role to play. In the run-up to the World Cup, the company is participating in industry conferences, think tanks and working groups, and is working closely with all both government and private sector stakeholders to ensure that risk management during the event is of the highest order. With that important contribution to make, we look forward to a safe, secure and enjoyable celebration of The Beautiful Game right here in our beautiful country. Back with golf, Id like to conclude by thanking you all once again for your participation in this annual event. Sasria is privileged to be able to host it, and grateful for your consistent support.

Ends.