SA's Mr Television
3, 2, 1, Action!

IntegriSurer: You must be the longest surviving news presenter in the world?

Riaan: If you're referring to the well-meant jokes that I witnessed and reported on the fall of the Roman Empire, then the answer is probably yes. But what I do know for sure, is that I'm the longest serving Afrikaans TV news presenter in the world – my only world record to date!

IntegriSurer: Do people expect you to know everything about everything because you present the news?

Riaan: I certainly hope not! In fact, I don't think it would be possible. Knowing something about as many things as possible is probably the best one could hope for, as well as everything about just a number of things. But people do expect me to be well-informed about daily news events, and that's the way it should be, too. It's easy to spot when a news presenter has no clue of what a specific news item is all about, because the intonation of the voice, phrasing of sentences, and emphases are all wrong – and the presentation becomes mechanical reading.

IntegriSurer: Does it hurt you to read about increasing fuel prices and economic problems? It doesn't look like it...

Riaan: Eish! It hurts me just as much as it hurts the viewers! But remember that a news presenter should take care not to comment with body language. I'm only the bearer of news, good or bad.

IntegriSurer: Your opinion as an ordinary citizen... Is there any sector of society that isn't feeling the pinch of the current economic crisis?

Riaan: That is highly unlikely. Even the fortunes of the super rich have shrunk substantially. But what bothers me is the seemingly unavoidable dramatic increase in unemployment, which will lead to even more poverty. And poverty goes hand in hand with a surge in crime figures. It is a vicious circle.

IntegriSurer: You’ve long been involved in IntegriSure’s communication campaign. How unique is IntegriSure in your opinion?

Riaan: I think it’s wonderful that recognition is given to the more responsible lifestyle. I am over 60 myself, and I know from experience that I protect, preserve and insure my hard-earned assets with great care and responsibility. It is absolutely unique that an insurer would want to reward me for that with a lower premium.

IntegriSurer: What are your views on the importance of service excellence?

Riaan: The success of any society depends on service delivery. The better the service, the better the functioning of society. This applies to companies as well. Those who render the best service, will attract and retain the most clients. But service delivery relates directly to the attitudes of the people who are expected to render the service. A motivated, helpful and friendly staff can work wonders.

IntegriSurer: Do premium increases make sense to you in an economy where everything is becoming more expensive?

Riaan: Well, nobody could expect a business to go bankrupt just because it won’t participate in price increases. It’s a matter of survival. When a company, like an insurer, can limit its premium increases to an absolute minimum and motivate it to its clients, it speaks well for responsibility and integrity. You couldn’t possibly expect your insurance premium to remain unchanged while the replacement value of insured goods keep rising? If there were less insurance fraud and people submitted fewer false claims, premium increases could also be limited. I suspect that’s one of the reasons why IntegriSure’s premium adjustments are so low – their target is a responsible niche markets who don’t submit claims for trivial matters.