By:Annakleta Haikera

Respected Rundu-based businessman Daniel Augusto De Jesus has died aged 73.
De Jesus is the owner of Rundu OK Foods supermarket and hardware retailer Rundu Build It.

He also owned the Grootfontein OK Foods and Nkurenkuru Market and employed more than 380 people.

The entrepreneur died on 5 December at Grootfontein after a short illness. His death has left many people in shock.

De Jesus was well-known for having created more meaning in his life, by always giving back to the local communities and schools in the two Kavango regions.
“He was a kindhearted man who donated to causes that needed support. To us, he was a loving patriarch. He created the foundation of our family on which we will continue to stand,” said Jose Machado, De Jesus’ son-in-law.
OK Foods store manager Neala Silasbirto said they received the news of De Jesus’ passing in the afternoon of that day.
“All shops belonging to De Jesus were closed to honour him. It is with deep sorrow that we were informed about his death by the family members. That is why we had to close down the stores that same day.”
Deon van Blerk, a businessman in Grootfontein has described De Jesus as a stalwart and a pioneer in the retail world. He stressed De Jesus has touched many people’s hearts with his kindness.
Another businessman in Kavango West region, who asked for anonymity, told The Villager De Jesus played a major role in the Namibian business sector, particularly in the two Kavango regions.
“He will be remembered for always giving back to the community, especially those in Nkurenkuru. OK Foods was one of the first corporate stores to be introduced in Kavango West, apart from the local stores that were already operating in that town. The founder employed many people within Nkurenkuru town and it felt like home to always go and shop in OK Foods,” the source explained.
“He has not only helped communities in Namibia but in Angola too, where many people in Calai, a town and municipality in Cuando Cubango Provinceof Angola, have the exact same store. He extended his business in Kalai and he used to bring fresh fruits from Angola to Namibia. OK Foods was the only shop serving the small villages in the Kavango West. One of the great ideas initiated by him was to give back to the locals, by creating the OK Foods game, where locals won cattle every festive season. We will mourn him as a hero in our region.”
Alexander Shikundiko, a resident of Rundu, told The Villager De Jesus has served many people from the region.”When I was six years old, I used to come to the store with my father to shop. Now I am here also coming to the shop with my three children. I thank De Jesus for his investment in the Kavango East region.”
De Jesus is survived by his wife, Maria Belmira Alves Baptista De Jesus, their three children with spouses, and six grandchildren.
The memorial service is scheduled for Saturday, 10 December 2022 at Grootfontein,at 14h00.
Rundu OK Foods has been in existence for 24 years since its founding in November 1998.