COVID-19: Silke Financial Services & Allan Gray Continue Operations

25 Mar 2020

As communicated in last week in last week's email (COVID-19: Making sense of current market conditions), we remain focused on working towards the President's goal of flattening the curve, following on from President Cyril Ramaphosa's message of the country-wide lockdown as of midnight on 26 March 2020.

Silke Financial Services is a Critical Business Continuity Services provider and is required to continue during a lockdown as part of the COVID-19 responses. Critical service/function can be defined as a service/function that when not delivered creates an impact on the health and safety of individuals. Areas specifically relating to Silke Financial Services:

1. Life and Health Related: Hospital authorizations and reservations Private Medical Aid services
2. Finance & Insurance: Keep financial markets open Third party service providers Financial services (middle office, trading, back office and insurance claim offices) Life cover, Burial and funeral funds

As a result, Silke Financial Services will continue to operate Monday to Friday 09:00 to 15:00 daily during this period. We have therefore taken the following additional steps in the way we work to ensure the safety of our business, staff, clients and the community:

1. All staff have been sent home (barring Shane, Trevor, Carolyn and Chris).
2. Shane, Trevor, Chris and Carolyn will continue to work.
3. As Shane will be continuing his duties as a police reservist and will be out in public, we've taken the decision that Shane, Trevor, Chris will work from separate operational locations.
4. Shane will continue to work from the Silke Financial Services premises.

Our contact details during this period:

1. Use engage@silke.co.za for all queries, transactions etc
2. Shane will be available telephonically on 021 683 3380 or 082 373 2899.
3. Chris (076 848 3228) and Trevor (073 395 8266) will be available on WhatsApp / SMS / Call

Individual Key services/functions are defined as follows:

Shane Thom CFP®, GTP(SA)™
Managing Partner | Key Individual | Integrated Wealthcare Advisor
Overall operational continuity and Portfolio Management / Telephonic meetings / Communicate and remain in contact with our staff, clients and business partners / Complaints
Office: 021 683 3380 / Cell: 082 373 2899

Chris Norris CA (SA), CFP®
BCom (Hons) Taxation (UCT)
Key Individual | Wealthcare Advisor
Telephonic meetings / All life, health, financial planning related critical services/functions that may arise / Cell: 076 848 3228

Trevor Wadeley
Wealthcare Operations and Servicing Manager
All financial planning, fiduciary and estate management related critical services / functions that may arise from Silke Financial Services or, as a function of our relationship, from our recommended business partners ie: Allan Gray, Investec, Discovery Holdings
Cell: 073 395 8266

Carolyn Boyce
Wealthcare Business Admin Manager
All business administration related critical services/functions that may arise
Cell: 082 322 6907

We would like to request your understanding and patience in the event of any delayed responses. We commit to providing you with relevant updates as and when needed. At Silke Financial Services, we have committed to remaining ‘cool’, with a focus on still being here for our staff, clients and business partners.

Allan Gray will continue to operate during the COVID-19 lockdown.

Following President Cyril Ramaphosa’s announcement of a 21-day country-wide lockdown as of midnight on 26 March 2020, we would like to reassure you that Allan Gray will continue to operate during this period and you will continue to be able to perform all transactions on your account. Read more...

Silke Financial Services will continually monitor developments and be guided by the Department of Health and World Health Organisation.

Our integrated wealthcare approach is based on your personal priorities and aspirations. This process is designed to give you a clear course of action for pursuing your goals that span various time horizons and life stages to empower you to do extraordinary things with your wealth, both now and in the future.

Thank you very much for your support and understanding.

For further information and guidance from the World Health Organisation on current outbreak of coronavirus disease (COVID-19), visit this page for daily updates.

For up to date and correct information on the status of COVID-19 in South Africa, start a chat with the official Department of Health WhatsApp support service at 0600 123456 (Just say 'hi' to get started)

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Yours in health,

Shane Thom, CFP^® GTP(SA)™
Managing Partner: Integrated Wealthcare Advisor