Allexer Namundjembo
Trustco Group’s decision to fly its company flag at half-mast for five days in honour of Max Endjala, a long-serving employee who died during the NAMDIA diamond heist, has sparked public criticism.
The company announced the gesture on Monday saying that it is a long-standing tradition to lower the flag when an employee passes awayTrustco spokesperson Neville Basson on Monday explained that flying the company flags at half-mast is a longstanding tradition within the organisation.
“For five days, we will be flying our company flag at half-mast, which is our tradition when the group loses an employee,” he said.
However, many members of the public took to social media to express outrage, questioning the appropriateness of the act under the circumstances of Endjala’s death.
“I would not have flown the flag as a matter of ethics and because every time I drove by that flag for five days, it would be a reminder that the person it is honouring, was dishonouring a whole lot of people including a family in mourning,” said Marbeline Sabatha.
Social media users are also blaming Trustco for not sending in their condolences messages to the family of Eiseb who died during the heist, accusing the Group of prioritizing their employee, despite the nature of his death
Simon Kaholo has said what shocks the most is that Trusco is only concerned about their employee and not about the officer who lost his life.
“Even a person who went to rob is praised. Would you have acted the same if he stole from them and died the same way? Trustco needs to change its company policies. I’m yet to see a condolence message to the family of the officer. It says a lot about that company, Flying the flag at half mast despite the condition in which Max lost his life. We will make our own conclusion that he was fighting for his company (Trustco),” he said.
Chris Moyo thinks that the Group was supposed to have thought of Eiseb’s Family before doing this.
“This is totally wrong despite how good your employee was after all he is one the men who caused Mr Eiseb’s death as well as his own” Moyo said.
In the press release issued by Trustco, they said Endjala was murdered.
Contacted for clarification, Basson said in the absence of an official police report, they can not speculate on the circumstances of his death.
“Fact is he is deceased,” Basson said.
Basson also explained that the national flag, typically flown at the company’s office, is not part of the current observance as it has been out of use for two weeks.
“The ropes need replacement, and we are waiting for a rigger to fix them, which is why only the Trustco flag is currently displayed at our office,” he added.
Endjala worked as the chief operations officer in Trusco’s company’s forensic investigations unit for over 21 years.
According to Basson, the company has initiated an internal investigation team led by the head of its legal, risk, and compliance unit, working in full cooperation with the authorities to ensure justice prevails.
According to a police report, Endjala attempted suicide by shooting himself in the head during the heist.
The police also reported the death of NAMDIA security personnel, Francis Eiseb, who was discovered in a storeroom with a gunshot wound to the head, believed to have been inflicted by the robbers.
On Monday, the Deputy Inspector General for Operations at Nampol, Major General Elias Mutota, confirmed that some of the stolen diamonds had been recovered but did not disclose their quantity or value.
Mutota added that additional details will be shared during a press briefing later today.
