Tributes don dey pour in for insurance magnate and philanthropist Douw Steyn
Tributes dey pour in for South African billionaire and businessman Douw Steyn, wey die on Tuesday, 4 February afta long period of poor health.
E die at di age of 72.
South Africans dey mourn Oga Steyn wey dem describe as “visionary” plus “ogbonge entrepreneur”.
Oga Steyn dey popular for im global success for di insurance industry. E start di BGL Insurance Group and e be good friend of late South African statesman Nelson Mandela.
Steyn become Mandela shortly afta dem release di former president from im decades-long imprisonment on Robben Island.
Steyn City Properties confam Oga Steyn death. Na di company dey behind di popular luxury golf estate e find and develop.
Di expansive residential lifestyle estate dey located for di northern part of Johannesburg and dem design am to “create a self-sustaining community”, according to South African online news website Daily Maverick.
“Na wit deep sadness we take announce di passing of di visionary behind Steyn City,” di company tok for statement.
Dem add say Steyn go dey “remembered as ogbonge entrepreneur wey build a global business of immense scale across seven kontris”.
Douw Steyn relationship wit Madiba
“Im [Steyn] bin support Madiba in plenty ways for many years.
For 1992 Madiba live for [Oga Steyn] house as e dey try reason im way through one very painful separation from Winnie Madikizela-Mandela.”
Di South Africa first democratically elected president bin also turn to Oga Steyn “wen e need spaces for retreat or support for im projects”, according to di foundation.
Mandela spend 27 years in prison sake of im campaign to end white-minority rule.
E spend eighteen of those years for Robben Island, one island wey dey off Cape Town.
Who be Douw Steyn?>
Steyn start im entrepreneurial journey for 1975 wen e start di Steyn Insurance Brokers, according to another local news website Business LIVE.
Dis go pave di way for di establishment of one of di kontri leading insurance groups, Auto & General, and later BGL Insurance for UK for di 1990s. BGL na di parent company of popular price comparison website Compare The Market.
Dem later merge Auto & General into di Telesure Investment Holdings group, wey dey offer plenty financial service products for kontris like Australia, Turkey and the UK.
Outside im business ventures, Steyn dey known for im philanthropy work. Im family trust don donate large sum of money give South Africa Covid-19 relief efforts, wit considerable amount wey dey go towards supporting small businesses and providing food security for families affected by lockdown.
Di Steyn Foundation, bin establish through Steyn City Properties, also support poor townships.
E leave behind im wife and three children.