Bathathu Funeral Scheme in partnership with Icebolethu Group launched affordable funeral service provider in Johannesburg on last Thursday.
Bathathu Funeral Scheme CEO Ayanda Williams and Icebolethu Group CEO Dr Nomfundo Mcogi sign a share certificate.
Guests were given opportunity to asked questions and got clarity about the funeral service and how it works.
SANTACO believes that the funeral scheme is tailored specifically for the taxi industry.
“In partnership with burial services provider Icebolethu, the Bathathu Funeral Scheme aims to provide a comprehensive funeral coverage and support to all taxi industry members and their families, ensuring a dignified send-off,” said Tsebe.
“This innovative funeral scheme is a significant milestone in our efforts to provide holistic support to our members,” said Tsebe.
“We believe that no taxi operator, driver or their families should have to endure the burden of funeral expenses, so with Bathathu Funeral Scheme we are proud to offer a safety net that ensures dignity and compassion during life’s most challenging moments,” he said.
“I would like to encourage taxi industry to sign up for the funeral cover at Bathathu and Icebolethu,” said Tsebe.
The Bathathu Funeral Scheme is administered by the Bathathu Risk Services, which is SANTACO’s financial services subsidiary component.
CEO of Bathathu Risk Services Ayanda Williams said as elders and executives within the taxi industry, the launch of the Bathathu Funeral Scheme is a way of putting into effect something that has been worrying them for a long time now, which is ensuring that their members, drivers, staff members as well as commuters get a dignified send-off at the time of their deaths.
“We have partnered with Icebolethu Group, which is a respected and well-known burial services provider,” said Williams.
She pointed out that both Bathathu Risk Services and Icebolethu Group are led by women who lead from the front to make an impact in the taxi industry while going beyond just ferrying commuters but being there for them even in their most trying times, and that this is what they will most definitely be delivering through their partnership.
To the general public Williams sent the following message:
“We are here, speak to us, we want to listen, and we would like to engage you and do not view us as people who just ferry you, because we also care for you deeply.”.
She revealed that the taxi industry was actually founded and funded by individual businesspeople who with no outside financial backing but have continued to sustain the industry for many years.
“We are professionals and fully licensed to provide funeral services to the public, so be assured that you are dealing with an entity that is 100 % authorised to offer funeral scheme services,” said Williams.
Founder and CEO of Icebolethu Group Dr Nomfundo Mcogi told Tshwane Talks that her company started out as a funeral parlour in 2009 but has now developed into a group of companies.
“We come into this collaboration as a burial partner for Bathathu Funeral Scheme nationally and will be responsible for the burial of all clients of Bathathu Funeral Scheme,” she said.
She expressed satisfaction that members of the taxi industry no longer want to remain mere transporters of commuters but have now embarked on owning businesses like petrol-filling stations and funeral schemes, and are therefore creating more wealth for themselves.
She pointed out that Icebolethu Group has affordable policies which cater for all people no matter how much they earn.
“Let’s be ready, let’s prepare for unforseen circumstances so that when they eventually come, we have dignified send-offs by joining burial services providers like Icebolethu now,” she said.
South African Long and Local Distance Taxi and Bus Organisation (SALLDTBO) business committee chairperson Thulani Gcwabe said the partnership between Bathathu Funeral Scheme and Icebolethu is going to be very useful and give dignity to the taxi industry and taxi operators and must in due course be rolled out to taxi drivers as well as commuters.
“We support this partnership whole-heartedly and what we are trying to achieve here is that when death comes, it should not be a burden to family members who remain behind,” he said.
Guard Risk representative Xolani Ncanga, whose company is the underwriter of the Bathathu Funeral Scheme, said his company’s role in the partnership is to help both Icebolethu Group and Bathathu Funeral Scheme to meet the needs of their clients.
He pointed out that the funeral scheme must look beyond the burial of a person but must also cover the trauma that may be experienced by family members of the deceased once their loved one has been buried.