Business fraternity mourns loss of pioneer businessman ‘Oom Chris’
"Ekurhuleni has lost a warrior who really fought for what he believed in - for all businesses to flourish and prosper, no matter how big or small they were, no matter what race or colour you were. He made sure he connected you with the right people."
The Ekurhuleni business community is saddened to learn of the death of businessman Christoffel (Chris) van Biljon, who served as a catalyst which made a lasting and invaluable contribution to scores of local businesses.
Chris was the founder of the Ekurhuleni Business Initiative (EBI), now known as Ekurhuleni Business Network (EBN).
The 72-year-old died at home in Kempton Park on August 1.
Under the guidance of Chris, the EBI, which launched 17 years ago, has grown in leaps and bounds. This forum, providing the opportunity for local businesses to network, had a huge and positive impact on the Ekurhuleni metro.
Over the years, his commitment was always to help businesses adapt to the changing political and economic landscape.
In one of his many interviews with the Boksburg Advertiser, Chris said: “Because of the ever-changing business landscape and the constantly evolving business demands, business people simply need a business organisation that has created the necessary networks to connect to local and national government as well as the business community on a regional level. Only by being connected to such a network will business grow and prosper.”
At the helm of the forum, van Biljon launched the Captains of Industry, the Ambassadors Forum and the Tunisian SA Business Network. He served on the Ekurhuleni Business Council until his death.
Legacy
Marius van Biljon, Chris’s son, who was recently appointed to serve as EBN’s CEO, said as a business network they will continue, to fulfil Chris’s ambitions and legacy.
Marius described his father as a passionate person whose formation of the EBI changed the course of many businesses. This made him a recognisable business catalyst who had a remarkable way of bringing out the best within businesses in the metro.
“He played a central role in making businesses flourish and prosper. The first word that comes to mind when I think of him is passionate, which best describe his strong leadership qualities. My dad was a passionate individual who always saw an opportunity in every situation. He was one of the most positive people I know. Even though times were tough sometimes, he would always see an opportunity to make business. He was a stalwart for all businesses regardless of colour and race or location of the business,” explained Marius.
According to Marius, Chris was one of the most well-known individuals in Ekurhuleni, including in some townships.
People knew him like a close friend and would walk up to him and say “Hi, Oom Chris”.
“He was always doing his best to get the township small businesses on the map and connected with bigger businesses. He was not a lazy individual. My dad was a role model. He taught me a lot about building lasting relationships. His entire business is built on relationships.
“If I look at the messages we received, everyone is talking about the relationship they had, and they are going back to 40 years. He was an amazing individual. He was not part of the norm and always pushed the envelope. He always wanted to do something better and make the community a better place for all.”
Marius admitted he has big shoes to fill.
“Losing him is an utterly heartbreaking experience, but fortunately my dad taught me and I’m passionate about it. I’ve been in the business with my dad for the last 20 years, so I know exactly what he wanted to do and what he wanted to achieve. It won’t be that difficult to ensure EBN fulfils his dream and continues the legacy he started decades ago.”
Growing up
Chris was born on June 10, 1948, at the Military Hospital in Langebaanweg. He lived on Robben Island for 16 years, attending primary school before attending Voortrekker High Wynberg.Over the subsequent years, he served in the SA Airways, SA Navy and Correctional Services.
He joined the SA Railway Police in the 1960s in Table Bay and also trained to do security service on all international flights of SAA in USA, UK, France, Italy, Spain, Portugal, Switzerland, Netherlands, Las Palmas and Austria for a period of six years.In 1973, he joined the Perskor group for 15 years.
He was the marketing manager of Die Transvaler, Vaderland Oggendblad and Hoofstad. He then joined Ranch Auctioneers for four years before launching EBI.
Chris was a rugby fan and supported the Lions. His real passion, however, was his family and connecting businesses. He was a man of God.
His memorial service will be held virtually on August 13. He is survived by his son, four brothers, two grandsons and a great-granddaughter.
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