Talk of the Town

GBS assures its commitment to people in troubled times

5 min read
SEEING TO YOUR BANKING NEEDS: The GBS Mutual Bank Port Alfred team and Makhanda management, from left, ex-chairman Tom Tagg, Jonty Fincham, Rose Parker, Bessie Mears, managing director Anton Vorster, Carmel Doyle, Mary-Jo Kirsten and Patrick Hornby, with chairman Prof Owen Skae and Andrew Marshall in front Picture: JON HOUZET
SEEING TO YOUR BANKING NEEDS: The GBS Mutual Bank Port Alfred team and Makhanda management, from left, ex-chairman Tom Tagg, Jonty Fincham, Rose Parker, Bessie Mears, managing director Anton Vorster, Carmel Doyle, Mary-Jo Kirsten and Patrick Hornby, with chairman Prof Owen Skae and Andrew Marshall in front Picture: JON HOUZET

GBS Mutual Bank reported its most profitable year yet and a balance sheet growth of 10% to R1.535-billion in the year ending March 31 2019.

GBS clients were told this encouraging news at the annual GBS dinner held at the Port Alfred High School hall last Thursday.

 

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ENJOYABLE EVENING: Sandra and Rob Coetzee enjoyed good conversations and a great meal at the GBS Mutual Bank dinner at Port Alfred High School hall last Thursday Picture: JON HOUZET
ENJOYABLE EVENING: Sandra and Rob Coetzee enjoyed good conversations and a great meal at the GBS Mutual Bank dinner at Port Alfred High School hall last Thursday Picture: JON HOUZET
GOOD TIME: Maureen Whatley and Rhoda Hoft shared a laugh at the GBS Mutual Bank dinner at the Port Alfred High School hall last Thursday Picture: JON HOUZET
GOOD TIME: Maureen Whatley and Rhoda Hoft shared a laugh at the GBS Mutual Bank dinner at the Port Alfred High School hall last Thursday Picture: JON HOUZET
SOCIAL OCCASION: Lynn van der Merwe and his partner Beverley McKenzie at the GBS Mutual Bank dinner for its Port Alfred clients last Thursday Picture: JON HOUZET
SOCIAL OCCASION: Lynn van der Merwe and his partner Beverley McKenzie at the GBS Mutual Bank dinner for its Port Alfred clients last Thursday Picture: JON HOUZET
NIGHT OUT: Ruth and Gavin Schroder enjoyed their time at GBS Mutual Bank's annual dinner for its Port Alfred clients last week Picture: JON HOUZET
NIGHT OUT: Ruth and Gavin Schroder enjoyed their time at GBS Mutual Bank's annual dinner for its Port Alfred clients last week Picture: JON HOUZET
SEEING TO YOUR BANKING NEEDS: The GBS Mutual Bank Port Alfred team and Makhanda management, from left, ex-chairman Tom Tagg, Jonty Fincham, Rose Parker, Bessie Mears, managing director Anton Vorster, Carmel Doyle, Mary-Jo Kirsten and Patrick Hornby, with chairman Prof Owen Skae and Andrew Marshall in front Picture: JON HOUZET
SEEING TO YOUR BANKING NEEDS: The GBS Mutual Bank Port Alfred team and Makhanda management, from left, ex-chairman Tom Tagg, Jonty Fincham, Rose Parker, Bessie Mears, managing director Anton Vorster, Carmel Doyle, Mary-Jo Kirsten and Patrick Hornby, with chairman Prof Owen Skae and Andrew Marshall in front Picture: JON HOUZET
ALWAYS DELICIOUS: Guests enjoyed the starter of mushroom soup served with herbed croutons and cream. Naartjie and Cheryl Moss did the catering Picture: JON HOUZET
ALWAYS DELICIOUS: Guests enjoyed the starter of mushroom soup served with herbed croutons and cream. Naartjie and Cheryl Moss did the catering Picture: JON HOUZET
FIT FOR ROYALTY: The main course was slow roasted lamb with gravy and mint sauce, chicken fillet in white wine sauce, crispy roast potato wedges, roasted butternut with caramelised onion and feta, and a medley of vegetables Picture: JON HOUZET
FIT FOR ROYALTY: The main course was slow roasted lamb with gravy and mint sauce, chicken fillet in white wine sauce, crispy roast potato wedges, roasted butternut with caramelised onion and feta, and a medley of vegetables Picture: JON HOUZET
EXQUISITE ENDING: Dessert was cheesecake with honey nut syrup Picture: JON HOUZET
EXQUISITE ENDING: Dessert was cheesecake with honey nut syrup Picture: JON HOUZET

Chairman of the board Prof Owen Skae said it was a great year for the bank in the midst of a very uncertain world, both nationally and internationally.

He listed trade wars, Brexit, rising tensions in the Middle East, and the various simultaneous commissions of enquiry into corruption and state capture in SA as examples. In addition there was SA’s shrinking economy, calls to nationalise the Reserve Bank, and on a local level the myriad problems in Makana, where GBS is based.

He said SA’s larger banks were closing branches and stripping away a layer of management.

“In the midst of this, you want to know your money is safe,” Skae said. “How do we as ordinary people survive in the midst of this?”

He assured the audience that GBS would not change what it stands for – personal service.

“One takes comfort in the fact that in our 143rd year, the core value of customer service first before anything else, ensures that in a tough economic climate, we are able to deliver financial returns that we can be justifiably proud of, driven by the personal service that we are renowned for,” Skae said.

See the full story in this week’s Talk of the Town.