BUSINESSMAN AG THOMAS DIRECTOR PASSES ON

MANZINI – Astute businessman Percy Thomas, who was the Director of AG Thomas, has passed on.

According to sources close to the matter, the businessman, who was mainly in the construction industry, died on Sunday at his home at Lugaganeni, near Manzini Clinic in the Manzini Region.  One of the sources said the businessman died from an undisclosed sickness. This publication visited the Thomas family yesterday and it was referred to one of his sons, Keith.
He said he was not ready to talk about the death of his father at that moment. Thomas’ hard work and excellence in entrepreneurship was widely appreciated, as he was counted as one of those who put food on the table of thousands of emaSwati. He was one of the country’s power brokers.

Investment

In 2011, AG Thomas, as a business entity owned by Thomas, was hailed by His Majesty King Mswati III for its investment valued at E150 million after it built the prestigious Riverstone Mall in Manzini. “I have been informed that the new mall is a significant investment, which cost E150 million. Such an investment demonstrates the confidence that AG Thomas, a private sector business, continues to have in our economy,” His Majesty the King said in 2011, when he officially opened Riverstone Mall. AG Thomas (Pty) Ltd has been in operation since 1979, specialising in road construction, asphalt concrete manufacturing and paving, infrastructural development projects and township development.

The businessman’s company has been doing jobs in and out of regard to its asphalt concrete manufacturing, companies awarded tenders to pave or rehabilitate roads are bound to place orders with AG Thomas. One of the major roads which AG Thomas partly constructed, through tarring, is the Ngwenya/Mbabane Highway. The company worked in partnership with WBHO from South Africa.

Rehabilitated

Recently, the company, through its joint venture with WBHO and the Government of Eswatini, rehabilitated the over E545 million Lonhlupheko-Siteki MR 7 (12km) and Lukhula-Big Bend MR 16 (38km) roads. On the other hand, Business Eswatini (BE) said the sad news had not yet been reported officially to the organisation. However, the organisation said it understood as this could be because of the sensitivity of the matter. It said if the sad news were true, it would not only be a sad loss to the organisation (BE), but also to the entire business community and nation at large. BE said Thomas had been a long time member of the organisation and the name of his company had become synonymous with all things good, especially as partners on nation building.

“We would like to send our deepest condolences to the Thomas family and to the entire staff of AG Thomas in this hour of sadness. A giant has fallen and the business community has lost a good warrior in Thomas. May his soul rest in peace,” the organisation said.

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