Changes to the Board On the Holdings Trust Board, we bade farewell to Ebi Moolla who retired in May and Ncumisa Nongogo, whose term of office came to an end. I wish to thank them both for their valuable contributions. PPS wishes Ebi Moolla all the best in his retirement. We also welcomed Armand de Vries, an accountant by profession, who joined the Board in October. In memoriam At this point, I would like to pause and give thought to the members of our staff, our advisers, and also our members, that we have lost to the pandemic over the past two years, as well as to the loved ones that our various stakeholders have lost. Nothing prepares us for losses like these, especially if they occur suddenly, and affected colleagues, business partners and members and their families are always in our thoughts. We trust that, in some small way, they are sustained by being part of the PPS family. I was also deeply saddened to hear of the passing of Edwin Letty and Etienne Hugget, both former chief executive officers of PPS. We hold their families and friends close in our thoughts. For our members, we find some consolation in the fact that the life cover held by their loved ones offered an invaluable safety net for them and that they did not have to endure financial privations at the time of their greatest need. On a broader basis, South Africans have been deeply affected by the loss of their fellow citizens to the pandemic. According to excess death statistics, almost three hundred thousand were recorded at the time of writing. This is a profound wound to the nation and it will take a long time to heal. In our busy everyday lives, let us always take time to remember that so many of us are suffering. May we always be inspired to treat one another with kindness, empathy and compassion. Thank you On behalf of my fellow trustees and the nonexecutives in the PPS Group, I would like to thank our CEO, Izak Smit, his PPS Group executive team, and the broader management team for piloting us through such turbulent waters and for staying true to our values and principles through many challenges that the pandemic has presented. They have shown exceptional empathy and foresight over the past two years and have managed to lead our members, advisers and staff through this once-in-a-lifetime period with a sure and steady hand. A sincere word of thanks also goes to our members who trust us with their financial goals and who contribute in such a committed way to our robust community of professionals. I mentioned in the changes to the Board section above, the retirement of Ebi Moolla. Ebi was of course the PPS Holdings Trust Chairman from 2012 to 2020. He also served as the Chairman of PPS Investments from 2006 (when this business was founded) to 2021, and in various other governance roles over many years. I want to thank Ebi for his invaluable service to the Group. Lastly, I would like to extend my gratitude to Dr Mannie Krüger, my deputy, and our fellow trustees, who continue to make the Board the solid source of innovation and good governance that it is and who remain unfailingly committed to providing ever-better value to the PPS community. I must also thank my family, whose support for me and my work remains unfailing. Dr Sybil Seoka Chairman 30 March 2022 PPS Integrated Report 2021 Chairman’s statement | 42
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