NEWSLETTER Message from the Chairman Dear Colleagues I recently attended a luncheon where the Minister of Finance, Mr Calle Schlettwein, was our guest speaker. He presented a very optimistic view and stated that the present and future prospects indicate that our economy has bottomed-out from the severe effects of the negative shocks of the recession. He did caution though, that downside risks prevail and that we require to maintain the current policy stance. What this in fact means is that the many non-productive Government buildings will remain uncompleted for some time. Certainly government spending had got out of hand. This includes the huge increase of the civil service (sheltered employment?), the gigantic almost completed RCC building (do they rely on such a huge staff complement to fill it?) and the brand new locomotives recently purchased by Transnamib. In fact, these must have cost so much, that currently they cannot pay their creditors (their unpaid account with Cernol for example goes into the 180+ days column). Also, in a recent pro rata comparison, Air Namibia almost employs double the amount of staff than most of the airlines belonging to the developed nations. Within this framework, combined with the unrealistic expectations of the people, can Birthdays Namibia really get out of this recession? It is within this market that we, the Swaco Group, have to operate. All our companies are affected, and it is also known that the northern region, in addition to the sluggish economy, are also suffering due to the large reduction of the Angolan trade. In spite of that, I am confident that we can survive if we all pull together. It requires a bit extra, not only from Management, but from all who are employed by the Swaco Group. This might mean: putting in that extra hour during the week, or even voluntary work during the weekend. Namibia is still known to the outside world as a successful young country with endless possibilities. Let us all help to keep it like that. Kind Regards Manfred Böttger Chairman Swaco Group of Companies Autumn Edition March 2017 This edition: Birthdays page 1 New appointments, Farewell page 2 Long Service Awards page 2 News from: Swaco Industries page 3 Swachem page 3 The North page 4 Swaco Head Office page 5 That s not my job page 5 Message from HR page 5 April 2017 May 2017 June 2017 1 st Wilhelm Shigwedha 8 th Maria Ashipala 6 th Michael Mihilifilwa 1 st Tony Farmer 11 th Michael Dirk 13 th Petrus Iipinge 3 rd Gerald Skrywer 13 th Linda Kruger 14 th Emsie Kahee 6 th Augustinus Musinga 17 th Jesaya Paulus 23 rd Liberation Themba 11 th Heidi Louw 17 th Simon Shuumbwa 24 th David Hansen 23 rd Frans Namashana 18 th Christa Laubscher 25 th Amanda Dedig 27 th Andreas Gawaseb 25 th George Laubscher 26 th Michael Immanuel 1
New appointments The Swaco Group of Companies was joined by new staff members the past few months. We would like to welcome: Totsiens Heidi Louw, who was appointed as Sales Representative at Cernol Chemicals Namibia (Pty) Ltd - Windhoek. Heidi is 37 years old, is married and has 2 sons. Brendon Hendrickse, who was appointed as Store Assistant/ Assistant Driver at Spice & Scale World (Pty) Ltd - Windhoek. Brendon is 24 years old, is single and has a son and a daughter. Engelhardine (Emsie) Kahee, who was appointed as General Assistant at the Swaco Group Head Office. Emsie is 33 years old, single and has a son and a daughter. Petrus Iipinge, who was appointed as Production Team Member at Cernol Chemicals Namibia (Pty) Ltd - Windhoek. Petrus is 47 years old, is married and has a son and a daughter. Adiele Oosthuizen, who was appointed as Depot Supervisor at Swaco Industries Namibia (Pty) Ltd Windhoek - Maizey. Adiele is 28 years old and single. Manie Vlok, who was appointed as Sales Representative at Swaco Industries Namibia (Pty) Ltd Windhoek Shelving Solutions. Manie is 23 years old and married. Ons groet die volgende Swaco Groep werknemers wat die Swaco Groep verlaat het: Rowan Gertze Ricardo Visser Cesar Fortunato Casandra van Wyk Internal Sales Internal Sales Sales Representative Store Asssistant Spice & Scale WHK Maizey Cernol Ondangwa Spice & Scale WHK Ons beste wense vergesel julle op die pad vorentoe. Long Service Awards We would like to congratulate the following employees who received long service awards in January March 2017: Petrus Mbendeka Johannes Ndeitya Justine Mathews Marco van Wyk Office World Swachem Walvis Bay Spice & Scale Windhoek Spice & Scale Windhoek 10 years 5 years 5 years 10 years We thank you for your valuable contribution and wish you many more happy years with the Swaco Group! 2
Nuus van Swaco Industries News from Swaco Industries Hochland 154 Round Table Bowls Fundraiser On the 3 rd March 2017, Print Solutions and Office World entered a team into a Lawn Bowls Fundraiser Day. This Bowls Day was held in aid of raising funds for the various charities which the Hochland 154 Round Table is associated with, including the SOS Children s Village in Khomasdal, Children in the Wilderness and the Khomas Environmental Education Program. The team members were Andrea O Kennedy, Surita Smit, Chantal Robberts and Karen Lind. It was a fun-filled afternoon, and despite the heavy rains that interrupted the last game, it was thoroughly enjoyed by all! Nuus van WINDHOEK New premises for Swachem Windhoek News from WINDHOEK Over the weekend of the 24 th February 2017, Swachem Windhoek moved its premises from 9 Bell Street, Southern Industrial to 2 8 Walter Street, Southern Industrial. After several renovations and changes were done at the new premises, it now looks brand new and we are very excited about the business prospects this move will bring to Swachem. We invite everyone to come and have a look! Thank you to Management and all the Swachem staff who were so closely involved in getting everything moved and organised! 3
Nuus van Die Noorde Cernol Windhoek pulls out all the stops News from The North For the past few months, Cernol Windhoek has dedicated themselves to become more visible and deliver the best service to their customers at all times. Thank you to the whole Cernol Team for your dedication and hard work! Cernol product display T2 Blue Econo promotion Installation of soap dispensers at Pupkewitz Catering at Namica at WHS s sport rest rooms Settled in at new Ondangwa depot After Cernol, Swachem and Spice & Scale World s move from NDC Industrial Park, Ondangwa to Omwandi Shell Complex, Ondangwa at the end of last year, we have settled in nicely at our new premises and continue to be excited about the business prospects that this new location brings. Recent finishes to the new shops included signage that was put up outside on the shops windows. Thank you to all involved for your input and assistance. Rainfall in the North After a long time with little to no rain in our country, we started having good rainfall towards the end of February 2017. The photos underneath were taken by Amanda Dedig during a road trip of the area Okahao, Outapi and back to Oshakati on the 6 th March 2017. In some places, cars can only drive tar road. Gravel roads leading to the villages no longer exists. Where there has been just dirt and sand 3 weeks ago, everything is now covered by only water. Villages are cut off from towns, and travelling is nearly impossible. According to news reports, the Efundja will reach the North during the weekend of the 17 th March 2017. This refers to the event where the river Cuvelai in Angola reaches capacity, and water is forced into Namibia s Northern flood plains. The last recorded year that this happened was in 2011. 4
Swaco Head Office Staff lunch At the Swaco Group, we believe in maintaining an environment of transparency, communication, mutual trust and respect at each depot to improve co-operation and work relations among the staff. Having formal team building events for each depot is an ideal way of achieving this, but keeping time and financial constraints in the current recessionary economic times in mind, we have to try and organise more informal team building events to establish harmony, a sense of belonging and a realisation of the importance of each one s role in the team. The Head Office staff organised a lunch date at the end of last year where Secret Santa gifts, that we bought each other at a small value, were exchanged and we had a lot of fun spending time together outside the work environment! All depots are encouraged to have more informal get-togethers for their staff to create opportunities to get to know each other and open the channels of communication!, That s not my job By now you all know that the Namibian Government has run out of money and, in many cases, is unable to pay its accounts on time. This affects not only Swaco Group companies, but also many of our customers, most especially those with ties to the construction industry. Some companies have been forced to close and many have been reducing their workforce in order to be able to survive on the reduced business available. Times are tough. But tough times do not mean that we just sit around and complain. There are still customers in the market who need our products they may not be our customers right now. It is our challenge to let them know that the Swaco Group has the right products for them, that we can be relied on to supply on time and that using our products is more economical for their business. This means that each and every member of staff must be committed to giving our customers the very best experience at all times, and that each of us does everything we can to attract new customers to our business. Of course the Sales Representatives must be out canvassing the market for new opportunities, but the way each of us does our job is what will give the customer the confidence to make use of Swaco products. We are a team - if we are to survive, the team must be determined to win. There can t be spectators. Yes times are tough. To survive in this tough world, you will be asked to do things differently be grateful for the opportunity to keep your job! The Directors and Management are determined to try and maintain and grow the business, but they cannot do your job for you. Each of you is an essential member of the team and will be called upon to play your part. Do not fall into the trap of saying That s not my job be prepared to face new challenges to keep our customers, and your job. Mike Hill Boodskap van die HR Kantoor Sjoe, die Nuwe Jaar het weer weggespring met n spoed en ek is seker ons almal sal saamstem dat die tyd ongelooflik vinnig verbygaan daar is sowaar al amper drie maande van 2017 verby! Onthou altyd dat ons elke geleentheid om te groei, te leer en onsself te ontwikkel wat elke dag oor ons pad kom moet aangryp en gebruik, nie net tot voordeel van onsself nie, maar ook tot voordeel van die mense om ons. Die lewe is kort, en kosbaar, en jy moet so prober leef dat wanneer jy na n lang dag terugkyk na alles wat daardie dag gebeur het, jy nooit moet spyt wees oor enige iets nie. As deel van die Swaco Groep is jy deel van n span, en ELKEEN het n rol om te speel binne die span sodat ons saam as n Groep bo kan uitkom. Kom ons staan saam. Dankie vir wat jy vir Swaco beteken! Surita Smit 5