This Article first appeared in Landbou Weekblad (landbou.com) issue of 1 April 2016 (PDF) and has been formatted for web viewing by Agristart.

Mnr. Kleinjan Gasekoma is die eerste swart boer in Suid-Afrika wat as Beesboer van die Jaar aangewys is. Hy het binne 13 jaar die pad van kommunale boer tot suksesvolle kommersiële boer gestap. (deur CHARL VAN ROOYEN [email protected])

Daar is nie ’n tekort aan suksesverhale as dit kom by swart boere wat die moeilike pad van kommunale boer totkommersiële boer gestap het nie. Gaan krap bloot tussen die verhale van mislukte staatsprojekte en projekte vir grondhervorming wat in duie gestort het.

Die meeste mislukkings kan voor die deur gelê word van gebrekkige kennis, finansiering en mentorskap. Die keersy is die boere wat ondanks die moeras van politieke inmenging, onvoldoende voorligting en hoë boerderykoste die stang vasbyt. Dikwels kan dié sukses ook aan goeie, sinvolle mentorskap toegeskryf word, natuurlik vermeng met die swart boer se eie wilskrag om boer uit eie reg te word en harde werk om daardie doelwit te bereik, soos in die geval  van mnr. Kleinjan Gasekoma van Reivilo.

Kleinjan (68), van die plase Bruintjiesfontein en Klein Quaggablatt naby Reivilo, wou nog altyd graag boer. Terwyl dié plaaswerkerseun by die spoorwegstasie se pakkette- afdeling in Pretoria gewerk het, het hy al vanaf 2001 begin plaas soek. In 2003 het Kleinjan saam met 25 ander mense op die plaas Nouvlakte by Amalia begin boer ingevolge die Regering se destydse program vir die herverdeling van grond vir landbou-ontwikkeling (LRAD). Die staat het die plaas gekoop en die groep mense op die plaas geplaas om te begin boer.

“Ek wou egter alleen boer, want so ’n klomp mense op een stuk grond werk nie lekker uit nie.” In 2007 het hy by die staat aansoek gedoen om ’n plaas te bekom. Hy het toestemming gekry om Bruintjiesfontein en Klein Quaggablatt van altesaam 1 233 ha te huur.  Hy en sy vrou, Mariam, het op 28 Oktober 2007 plaas toe getrek en hul kommersiële Bonsmara-tipe beeste van Amalia daarheen geneem. Hul oudste seun, Clement, boer nou daar saam met hulle.

Cois wys hoe ’n dragtigheidsondersoekgedoen word, terwyl die mense op die boeredagbelangstellend toekyk.

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This Article first appeared in Landbou Weekblad (landbou.com) issue of 27 November 2015 (PDF) and has been formatted for web viewing by Agristart.

Kleinjan Gasekoma bedank mentor toe hy aangewys word as nasionale beesboer van die jaar.

Deur Vicus Bürger

In Bloemfontein is geskiedenis gemaak toe Kleinjan Gasekoma van Noordwes as die Suid-Afrikaanse beesboer vir 2015 aangewys is. Gasekoma is die eerste swart boer wat koning kraai in die nasionale bees- en skaapboer van die jaar-kompetisie. Dié kompetisie is vanjaar die 13de keer aangebied.

Die aankondiging is gedoen op ’n spoggeselligheid wat op Woensdagaand 18 November by Leopard & Lace in Bloemfontein gehou is. Nelius van der Westhuizen van die Karoo is as die beste skaapboer aangewys. Gasekoma, wat met stoetbraunvieh- en kommersiële beeste naby Reivilo boer, het in sy toespraak sy mentor, Cois Harman van die plaas Welverdiend in die Zeerust-distrik, hartlik bedank. Harman is al sedert 1996 betrokke by die ontwikkeling van nuwelingboere.

Gasekoma het later aan Volksblad gesê: “Tot so ver as wat ek nou geloop het, is oor mister Cois my geleer het. Ek sê baie dankie.” Hulle is volgens Gasekoma beste vriende. Harman het gesê Gasekoma is so sukselsvol omdat hy betrokke by en uiters verbind tot sy boerdery is. “Goed word van die begin af reg en netjies gedoen.

Die plaas is baie netjies en alles werk,” het Harman gesê. Gasekoma het volgens hom baie goeie dissipline, bestuur sy plaas uitstekend en is altyd bereid om te leer. “Hy vat nie nonsens nie, maar is ’n mens se mens.” Harman is ongelooflik trots op Gasekoma. “Dit is ’n wonderlike prestasie.” Harman het gesê grondhervorming kan slegs werk as grond aan die regte mense toegeken  word wat daartoe in staat is om van die boerdery ’n sukses te maak – Gasekoma is volgens Harman een só ’n mens. Oor die droogte het Gasekoma gesê boere moet nie moed opgee nie.“Die reën begin nou te kom.” Gasekoma het gesê omdat hy “gras gespaar” het, sal hy nog tot Maart weiding vir sy diere

hê al reën dit nie. Hy het vanjaar al so 250 mm reën gehad. Van der Westhuizen van die Juriesfontein-boerdery wat met stoet- en kommersiële merino’s naby Loxton boer, was nie so gelukkig nie. Hulle het maar net ’n bietjie meer as 100 mm reën vanjaar gehad. “Ons moet 230 kry.”

Volgens hom kan ’n mens niks doen as dit nie reën nie. “Die groot ding is net om die droogte te oorleef. Almal weet dit gaan weer reën, maar die vraag is wanneer en gaan jy dan nog daar wees?” Dit is volgens hom dus belangrik om in die goeie tye reserwes op te bou wat weiding en geld betref, en “nie te hoog te vlieg nie”. “Ons het probeer om weg te bêre en kyk nou na die toestand van die diere.

Ons probeer hulle in ’n goeie toestand hou sodat wanneer dinge draai en dit weer reën, ons vroeg in produksie kan wees.” Van der Westhuizen het gesê hy hoop hulle en ander boere oorleef die droogte, want die land het boere nodig en dit sal tragies wees as boerderye weens die droogte tot niet gaan.

This Article first appeared in Volksblad (www.netwerk24.com) issue of 24 November 2015 (PDF) and has been formatted for web viewing by Agristart.

Die nasionale beesen skaapboer van die jaar is op ’n spoggeleentheid by Leopards & Lace in Bloemfontein aangewys. Hulle is Nelius van der Westhuizen (links) van die Juriesfonteinboerdery wat met stoeten kommersiële merino’s naby Loxton in die NoordKaap boer, en Kleinjan Gasekoma (middel) wat met stoetbraunviehen kommersiële beeste naby Reivilo in Noordwes boer. Saam met hulle is Gasekoma se mentor, Cois Harman (regs), van die plaas Welverdiend in die distrik Zeerust.

Cois Harman’s assistance to developing farmer GK Gasekoma is a case study in mentoring. His procedure should be compulsory in any project involving taxpayers’ money. Chris Nel reports.

This Article first appeared in Farmer’s weekly (farmersweekly.co.za) issue of 6 February 2015 (pdf link) and has been formatted for web viewing by Agristart.

Government ineptitude, delays and disappointment. For years, these characterised the farming experience of GK Gasekoma, a land reform recipient in North West. Then a dedicated farmer-mentor set about putting GK on the road to success. The way in which he did this is an object lesson in mentoring skills and good teamwork.

A SLOW START

In October 2008, GK became the recipient of the land restitution farms Bruintjiesfontein and Klein Quaggablatt, near Reivilo in the North West. Together, these cover 1 233ha.

GK started receiving the assistance of a government-appointed mentor. But years passed with little progress, and finally, dissatisfied with the result, GK approached Cois Harman of Agri Start to become his mentor. Cois visited him on his farms several times and discovered numerous infrastructure problems. Continue reading →

Thando lolwane, who featured on the cover of Farming SA’s April issue, recently won south Africa’s New Harvest Farmer of the Year Award. After the inaugural ceremony for this competition ended, Lolwane, who farms near Gelukspan in South Africa’s North West province, walked away with a brand-new Toyota Hilux bakkie. Says Andrew Kirby, Senior Vice-President for Sales and Marketing at Toyota,

 This Article first appeared in FarmeringSA issue October 2008 (pdf link) and has been formatted for web viewing by Agristart.

“The main goal of the competition is to recognise and credit previously disadvantaged farmers who have risen above the impediments of farming, such as a lack of natural, financial and human resources.”

After travelling about 7 000 kilometres around the country, a lot of laughter, detailed evaluations and a warm reception from the 10 finalists, an unanimous decision was reached. Then farmers from all over the country, accompanied by their loved ones, gathered at a Johannesburg venue for the awards ceremony. Not everyone could be the winner, but all the farmers received certificates and praise for being the best under “very difficult conditions”.

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This Article first appeared in Farming SA issue #10 June 2008 (pdf link) and has been formatted for web viewing by Agristart.

The life of Benjamin Ratshikana, a lawyer who remained a village boy at heart, was changed forever by the influence and guidance of commercial farmers. He is regarded as one of the three best South African cattle farmers of 2008.

A developing farmer who knows what he wants and works hard to reach his goals, will succeed and become fully commercial. I started farming in 1999 and managed to become fully commercial in a few years. I can only recommend that fellow cattle farmers buy quality bulls to improve their herds.

My passion for quality cattle grows day by day. As a youngster I had not been exposed to any farming activities. I was born and raised in the village of Dinokana in the Lehurutshe district of South Africa’s North West province where I attended school. I qualified as a lawyer – a profession I still follow. Many people influenced me and inspired me to develop a love for farming. During October 1999 my path crossed those of two commercial farmers, At Niemand of Schweizer Reneke and Boetie Viljoen of Leeudoringstad. They inspired me and taught me about cattle farming in general. But when I saw their farms, I said to myself that I couldn’t start farming cattle if I didn’t even have a farm. At that stage it was just as difficult to buy a farm as it is today; agricultural land was very expensive. Then I met Daniël Hlongwane, who farms near Rustenburg. He encouraged me to go for the farming option. I ultimately managed to make a start in the communal area of Tlapeng village close to Mafikeng.

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 This Article first appeared in FarmeringSA issue #8 April 2008 (pdf link) and has been formatted for web viewing by Agristart.

Farming is about survival of the fittest. It takes a tough guy with a lot of faith to keep on farming when drought, hail and new credit laws start to hamper development. During the 2006/07 cropping season Thando Lolwane of Gelukspan tried his best to prepare his lands in good time, as he usually does. He planted maize and sunflower when the moisture level was suitable, but follow-up rains didn’t fall in time or in adequate quantities. Soil moisture remained insufficient for a good harvest, as would normally be the case and it was difficult to pay back his whole production loan to the bank – not to mention having enough money for everyday expenditure. “I was forced to sell just about all my cattle and sheep to be able to keep my family going,” says Lolwane.

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 This Article first appeared in FarmingSA issue April 2008 (Pdf link) and has been formatted for web viewing by Agristart.

Daniël Nortje, who farms on Sendelingsplaas in South Africa’s Northwest Province, recently also bought the farm Veeplaas in the Marico area. He is an inspiration to many new farmers. His recipe for success? Sound management skills and farming on a cash basis.

Besides applying for a loan to pay for my farm, I’ve never had to borrow money for anything else. When I plant my vegetables, chillies and other crops, I use cash. My eldest son Eshwel is in grade 12 and already farms 40 ewes. My wife Magdalena and I have two sons and two daughters. I was born in 1969 on the farm Sendelingsplaas in South Africa’s Marico Bushveld, where my mother, Mma Kokome, worked on the farm of a Mr Nortje. After school I completed a two-year course in agriculture at the Boschkop training centre.

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