Hope takes centre stage at well-attended SAJBD conference
HOUGHTON – The South African Jewish Board of Deputies (SAJBD) held its first in-person conference since Covid-19 lockdown, in Sandton on Saturday.
The South African Jewish Board of Deputies (SAJBD) held a National Conference at Investec Bank in Sandton with the theme of Hope and Recovery on October 17.
This was the first in-person event to be held by the board since the advent of Covid-19 just over a year-and-a-half ago. The conference’s theme was, Lockdown, Load Shedding, Looting and Levels – an era of unsettling terminologies and difficult realities.
Among those on the panel addressing guests were Andre de Ruyter, Eskom group chief executive officer, discussing Eskom going forward; Wim Trengove, founding vice-chairman of Thulamela Chambers, discussing the state of the judiciary and the Constitution; and Enoch Godongwana, Finance Minister, looking at the economy.
“This is a new beginning for us all,” SAJBD national director Wendy Kahn addressed delegates. “It was not an easy decision to decide on a hybrid model for the conference. However, we felt it was time to come back to life and to start some renewal, even if initially, it is with limited numbers. It is our hope that by next year we will all be together again.”
About 1 000 residents also viewed the conference from a home setting, as heated topics were raised and discussed.
Richard Wainwright, CEO of Investec Bank, addressed guests, explaining he believed hope and recovery were an important part of any democracy. He said in these challenging times, the role society could play in influencing government and government polices had never been more important. “The impact civil society can have can never be underestimated,” he said.
He added that during the lockdown period, he had been exposed to various parts of society and saw the impact people could make when they were determined to step up to the plate.
He quoted the Investec Group’s former CEO Stephen Koseff, who when asked why he had become outspoken, explained that one always had to have hope and try to ensure the country continued to grow.Koseff said he believed that to deliver on hope, one had to always do the right thing. “South Africa has a lot going for it, but it has to be on the right road,” he said.
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