On Thursday 18 June 2015, a number of South Africa’s top CEOs spent an evening on the streets of Johannesburg as part of the 702 Sun International CEO Sleepout.
Among the participants were, Herman Bosman, CEO of RMB Holdings and RMI Holdings, Nomkhita Nqweni, CEO of Absa Wealth and Investments, Brian Molefe, CEO of Eskom, Peter Schlebusch, CEO of Standard Bank Group, and Nicky Newton King, CEO of the Johannesburg Stock Exchange (JSE). For a list of all the participants, click here.
The website explains: “The 702 Sun International CEO Sleepout challenges South Africa’s foremost business leaders to sleep on the streets for one night, and raise awareness and funds to bring hope and a home to South Africa’s most vulnerable children.”
It added: “The aim of the CEO Sleepout is not only to raise funds, but to raise awareness of and empathy for homelessness and the challenges faced by vulnerable children daily. Previous participants have said that whilst their primary commitment to sleeping on the street for a night is in support of the cause, the personal experience has been life-changing and humbling. It’s time for South Africa’s business leaders to rise to the challenge and join this international movement in which profits meet purpose, and big business meets benevolence.”
The challenge was carried out with the intention of raising R25 million for Girls and Boys Town (GBT). Each participant enter the challenge with the goal of raising R100 000. Some of the CEOs fell short of the target, while others exceeded.
Brett Levy, CEO of Blue Label Telecoms Limited, was at the head of the leader board, raising a total R416 640. As of 22 June 2015, the CEOs who took part in the event raised a total of R23 406 575, according to the website.
“As the exclusive beneficiary of the 702 Sun International CEO Sleepout in South Africa in 2015 and for the next two years, GBT will use the assistance and funds raised to extend its work with vulnerable children,” it said on the website.
To read more about some of the CEO’s experiences, click on the links below:
Herman Bosman, CEO of RMB Holdings and RMI Holdings
Nomkhita Nqweni, CEO of Absa Wealth and Investments
Leon Campher, CEO of the Association for Savings and Investment South Africa (ASISA)