Saying goodbye to an industry that has been my life and love for so many years is an emotional experience.
When I first arrived at Mutual Station in Pinelands in September 1977, I had no idea what the future held. Having worked as a teacher for eight months, I knew there had to be more to life in terms of carving out a career than having to wait for recognition based on years of service, rather than merit. The financial services industry proved me right.
The first half of my career was spent on the agency side at Old Mutual, to whom I will remain forever grateful for the excellent training and comradeship. Friendships of a lifetime were forged on shared principles of integrity and loyalty.
At the end of 1999, I was one of a substantial number of managers who were retrenched in line with recommendations by a consultancy firm.
After I had floundered about for nearly two years, Hjalmar Bekker, who left Old Mutual at roughly the same time as I, approached me to handle the communications side of Moonstone Information Refinery. The original agreement was that I would pop into the office every Friday. Moonstone was still in its baby shoes, and there was little about which to write, except in the Investment Indicators newsletter.
On the Monday following the second Friday, I walked into the office and announced that I had nothing else to do, and whether it would be okay if I did it there. Most of the subscribers to our newsletter were independent brokers, often starved of objective information. I made it my mission to balance the scales. We prided ourselves on being “independent and uncompromised”, which guided our actions.
In 2005, we published our second weekly newsletter, the Moonstone Monitor, which would be more focused on adviser practice. Developments emanating from the FAIS Act, such as licensing and regulatory exams, provided enormous scope for providing guidance to an industry that was used to being subjected to the mushroom principle.
I was due to retire in April 2017, but I managed to stay in the loop in an editing capacity until now. I was quite proud of what we had put together over the years and was given the opportunity to make sure that the legacy continued.
My successor, Mark Bechard, has brought a new dynamic to the job, and the ability to expand and extend on what we built. Many people who contribute to ensuring that your newsletters arrive on time. The most important over the years have been Anton van Rooyen and Bobby Londt. My heartfelt thanks to all of you for allowing me to retire in the knowledge that the ship is on course and in good hands.
A special word of thanks to Hjalmar for his faith in me and for allowing me to express myself honestly, sometimes to the chagrin of some of the authorities who regarded themselves as above criticism or reproach.
I also need to mention all my other colleagues at Moonstone. It was the most wonderful resource any writer could hope for when things got technical. Our legendary “vrydag vasvatte” on the terrace in Techno Park will also not be forgotten lightly. Friends for life.
Last, those special people in the industry who read and responded to our articles. It was always a comfort knowing they made a difference.
This industry has become extremely complicated. I am in sense relieved to hand over the refining of such complex matters to Mark. Just reading up on everything has become exhausting. I feel a bit like the guy who said that he got such a fright reading about the bad effects of alcohol that he decided there and then to give up reading.
My wife and I have managed to start up and run a little bed-and-breakfast establishment in Stellenbosch. This means that I will be semi-retired, handling one job instead of two. Now there will be time for some of my other passions, including fishing and travelling. I also have a passion for writing sketches in Afrikaans, which I will pursue on a more regular basis.
I wish all our readers the very best for the future. Thank you for your support and encouragement over the past 21 years.
As a parting note, I would like to share with you a speech called Citizenship in a Republic, which given by Theodore Roosevelt, former president of the United States, at the Sorbonne in Paris in April 1910. According to folklore, Nelson Mandela gave a copy of the speech to Francois Pienaar before the epic World Cup final in 1995. May this encourage you to continue the good work you do despite the odds.
“It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs, who comes short again and again, because there is no effort without error and shortcoming; but who does actually strive to do the deeds; who knows great enthusiasms, the great devotions; who spends himself in a worthy cause; who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who neither know victory nor defeat.”
Salani kakuhle!
Mooi loop.
Paul Kruger
Cheers, Paul!
I wish you a wonderful, restful and meaningful future.
Thank you, Alan. Your contribution to the legal aspects in many articles made a meaningful difference.
Go well Paul!
Thank you John, also for your support since our first collaboration in the 80s.
Mooi loop Paul,
Jy het vir my deur ,Moonstone , iets gegee om na uit te sien.
Voorspoed met die gastehuis.
Jy het ‘n groot taak aangepak en met sukses deurgevoer.
Hierdie veteraan salueer jou !
Dankie Frik. Ek waardeer jou mooi woorde opreg.
Dear Paul,
Thank you for your generosity in time, wit and observations so well illustrated. I wish you well and happiness.
In a humble gesture and in a small way may I give you an offering of my own?
“Cry, South Africa, so freely shed your tears,
Remember those who with no fears,
Rushed in to steal from innocent labour
Your riches well gained by trust and favour,
They shall not care your loss to mourn,
Their tears not be shed but left unborn
Allan Duff 2018”
I would love to see your translation to Afrikaans one day. I simply have not the ability nor courage.
Thank you, Allan. Our shared passion for Celtic history made our interactions a real joy. I will try my hand at translating this, but do nut expect a Burnsian replica.
Huil vryelik, my geliefde Suid-Afrika
Vergeet nooit diegene wat, onbevrees
Jou guns en vertroue met diefstal verguis
Wat onbeskaamd jou verlies hoon
Wat nooit berou sal toon
Want hul trane is ongebore.
Geagte oom Paul Kruger
Many thanks for your perennial, valued, and fixated devotion with resilient endurance, always educating, encouraging, and enlightening us.
You will be sorely missed after so many decades of changes and transition.
May your future be just as successful, happy, and bright.
Happy & Holy Easter.
in Christ,
Mark Alcock
Thank you Mark. Your regular responses to articles were always a source of inspiration.
Hi Paul,
May your retirement be all that you and your wife hope for and thank you for all of your efforts on behalf of the financial services industry and us independent advisors, during your years at Moonstone. Without them and guidance from your fellow compliance professionals such as Chris Honck, our lives would have been even more challenging, to the detriment of our clients and practices.
Thank you so much, Patrick. You have no idea how much this means to me.
Alles van die beste, Paul.
Thanks, Peter. Your comments were always thought provoking and helped me understand what the burning issues in the industry were.
You have been an inspiration , teacher and example to so many.
This is truly a sad day, the end of an era.
I wish you all the best in health and happiness.
Thank you so much, Alex. Your frequent interactions were always welcome.
Hey Paul
So sad to read of your retirement , your articles are such a pleasure to read and so helpful in navigating our way through this maelstrom of legislation.
I will really miss your input for sure.
Wishing you all the very best !
Thank you so much, Paul.
Wishing you a wonderful retirement. You now have more time for you and Wietske to enjoy your love of travel, music and the different cuisines and beverages of your chosen destinations.
Enjoy every minute. I am sure every adventure will turn into wonderful stories around the fire with a “lekker Pinotage”. You will be sorely missed.
Thanks, darling Mandy. Also for the moments luckily not on camera during compliance conferences!
Paul ek onthou nog ons eerste telefoniese gesprek in Saambou Bank se dae toe rekenaars ons lewens begin oorneem het en al die tegnologie vir ons vreemd was. Al die jare was Moonstone en Paul Kruger vir my dieselfde. Dankie vir jou nalatenskap. Dankie vir al jou insette en ondersteuning deur al die jare ons sal jou verseker mis. Geniet die nuwe seisoen in julle lewens en mag julle B&B baie suksesvol wees. Mag goeie gesondheid julle elke dag volg. Seënwense. Ena Toerien van Somerset Wes.
Dankie Ena. Jou boodskap beteken so baie vir my. OOns moes soveel onbekende weë saam aandurf, en ons is steeds staande!
All the best Paul, may your retirement be everything you wish for!
Thanks for keeping us older guys up to speed with the constantly changing landscape and making very complex things, seem easy to understand.
Cheers
Thank you so much, Derek. It was certainly a major learning curve for all of us.
Paul
You are a man among men. I wish I had met you at some stage, but that is not to be. Somehow, I thought you were an ex Sanlamer, and I have been an avid reader of your Moonstone mail. You are widely read loved the 60’s and 70’s, and your quotes were always good. Bon voyage.
Colin
Thank you Colin, also for your frequent responses.
Paul
Jy is ‘n kampioen !!! Ons gaan jou mis – geniet jou nuwe seisoen !
Henry
Dankie Henry. Dit was lekker om die pad saam met jou en jou kollegas by Moonstone Compliance te stap. Trots op julle.