Rembrandt Tabakkorporasie

"In the starting years Rupert not only sold shares with great enthusiasm, but also bought shares out of his own salary in the Rembrandt Trust, the holding company of the Rembrandt Group. Rembrandt Tabakkorporasie was listed on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange in 1956 and, like TIB and Tegkor, it became an investment of a lifetime."

"He approached two friends of his, first Mrs Hobbie le Roux of Oudtshoorn and later Mrs René Morkel of Stellenbosch, and suggested they launch a tea and coffee factory. They would receive the same treatment as all his business partners. He would show them the ropes, give them his support. But it would be their baby. That was how Entek was born. Share capital of £1 million was raised. Each shareholder had to buy at least £100 worth of shares and she had to be a woman: men could only buy shares in their wives’ names. The company was floated with 1 362 shareholders, all resident in South Africa and what is now Namibia and all of them female − either individuals or women’s organisations. The only exception was Rembrandt Tabakkorporasie, which contributed the £50 000 needed to buy out Holland-Afrika Koffiemaatskappy and Ceylon Tea Packers. Entek was registered in Pretoria and on 22 April 1955 it was incorporated into the Rembrandt Group."