Change is inevitable. Growing and changing as a person can mean maturing, improving, or expanding one’s life in some way. It can also help people learn new things, gain new experiences, and develop new skills. Change can also help people adapt to new situations and challenges and become more resilient.
Unfortunately, South Africa’s lack of land links to west while this is true for individuals, it is also true for organisations and Sassda is an association embracing change to allow it to deliver quality and relevant services to its members and the broader industry for many years to come. Some changes are tougher than others and at the end of April 2024, we will have to change to accommodate the departure of Francis le Roux who has been with us for more than a decade.
Francis started working at Sassda on the 1st of July 2011 as the personal assistant to the Executive Director and given her subsequent excellent professional track record, her position was renamed Administrative Head of the association in 2019. This followed a career earmarked by consistency and dedication.
Francis matriculated from the High School Nababeep in 1976 and started her career in the banking industry by joining Santambank in 1982. From there she moved to ABSA where she worked until 1995. Her entrepreneurial spirit guided her to various endeavours including owning and running a cleaning services company and jewellery stores. From there she joined Sassda and through the years has added true value with her diligence, extraordinary work ethic and positive attitude.
Francis might have reached the age for compulsory retirement in the Sassda structure, but she is married to Japie le Roux and has three children and handful of grandchildren who will keep her busy in this new phase of her life. What is clear is that her energy levels will not allow her to have a quiet life after her career with Sassda!
Francis has adapted through many phases of Sassda’s growth through critical times and she has been an anchor for the business, but also as a confidant and mentor to staff. Her loyalty and strong values helped to navigate the Sassda ship through stormy periods and she will be missed in this regard. Francis will have to adapt to an environment outside of Sassda, but the association will have the difficult task of adapting to an environment without Francis.
The Board and Sassda membership will experience the void left by her departure but wish her the best for the future. As colleagues, we will always remember and treasure the values and stability Francis brought to Sassda and her presence will be with us for a long time to come. We wish her well and trust that her new future will be, like stainless steel, simply brilliant!