Honouring Aleit Swanepoel:

Colleagues Continue a Living Legacy of Caring, Kindness & Giving Back

(Cape Town, Monday 3 October 2022) When the news of the untimely death of Aleit Swanepoel made headlines in May this year, it left the entertainment community and viewers stunned. Aleit was a popular TV presenter and KykNet star who, with his flamboyant yet humble personality and brilliant smile, had become an enduring favourite among millions of South African viewers over the years. 

Hans Roosenschoon, CEO and Co-founder of The Aleit Group as well as Swanepoel’s business partner and close friend, says: “We felt privileged that we could experience Aleit for ‘one last time’ as we followed him on KykNet’s Die Laaste Tyd Met Aleit.” The popular KykNet series concluded on 26 September 2022.

He adds that the team at The Aleit Group have used the time to consider how they could continue Swanepoel’s legacy: “He will always be remembered as a popular public figure, an innovator, an entrepreneur and a creative genius. What best describes Aleit for us would be his deep compassion, his wonderful humour, his fierce kindness, and a genuine calling to serve.”

“We know he would be exceptionally proud of the team as they continue supporting initiatives that were close to Aleit’s heart, and which represent his generous spirit and acts of kindness.”

A legacy of giving back

Swanepoel was always passionate about giving back wherever he could. As a co-founder of The Aleit Academy, he was equally dedicated to helping students recognise the potential within themselves and to help them fulfill their career dreams. In honour of this generosity, The Aleit Academy initiated The Aleit Swanepoel Memorial Scholarship Programme. The Scholarship programme will assist deserving students who may not have the financial means to afford the full tuition fees but who are clearly passionate about the industry.

A legacy of caring

After being introduced to the Jan Kriel Institute in 2014, Swanepoel was drawn to the work of this non-profit organisation where he was deeply impressed by the impact they had on children with special educational needs. He incorporated the organisation’s Annual Wine Auction fundraising event into the curriculum of third year students studying at The Aleit Academy. The result is that every year, third year Academy students have the privilege of coordinating and executing this prestigious fundraising event. 

A legacy of kindness

Swanepoel was a big proponent of standing up against bullying of any kind and, in his personal capacity, was very vocal about it. As part of continuing his legacy in this area and to honour the kindness with which he moved through the world, The Aleit Group has initiated a partnership with Cool2BeKind, an anti-bullying initiative by the non-profit Kidz2Kidz. As part of an ongoing collaboration, The Aleit Academy and The Aleit Group will be supporting the organisation with a number of their projects. 

Roosenschoon concludes: “Aleit’s favourite saying was ‘If you want to make a difference in the world, start loving the person next to you.’ As we continue to celebrate the living legacy that Aleit left behind, we also honour his enduring spirit which lives on through his loved ones, his colleagues, the businesses he helped create, and every single person who encountered his caring sincerity, his kindness and his generosity.” 

For more information about these legacy initiatives or to inquire about The Aleit Swanepoel Memorial Scholarship programme, visit aleit.co.za