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THE
GRAIN AND OILSEED INDUSTRY
OF SOUTH AFRICA – A JOURNEY THROUGH TIME
ႃႄ
Since 2011 Grain SA has said farewell to retired executive members and their
spouses during a special evening function at NAMPO Park. ‘In every organisation
there are people who are prepared to travel thousands of kilometres and attend
hundreds of meetings. Grain SA has to acknowledge those who are prepared to
do that, as well as the women who enable their husbands to make these sacrifices
for something greater,’ was the message of Mr Louw Steytler, former Chairperson
of Grain SA, during a function on 29 July 2014 at NAMPO Park, where some of the
retiring members of the Executive were bid farewell.
During the 2013 event Mr Jannie de Villiers, CEO, announced a ‘recognition of excel-
lence’ award to serving Executive members. This award is made to someone who
has made their mark in the organisation, who shows character and inspires the staff
with their contribution. Messrs Anton Botha (Region 20), Willie Linde (Region 15) and
Cobus van Coller (Region 23) were the first Executive members who received this
award. They shared the award.
Recognition for years of service is also presented to the staff of Grain SA at this event.
Solomon and Christina Masango are the
proud owners of a brand new John Deere
5403 MFWD 48 kW tractor sponsored by
John Deere Financial in partnership with
Absa. Jurie Mentz (Grain SA Development
Coordinator) and Jane McPherson present
them with the keys. >>>
LIGHTER MOMENTS DURING THE SELECTION PROCESS
Members of the selection panel of the Maize Man and Grain Producer had to
visit every nominee on his farm, and naturally they were received and treated
with generous farmer hospitality.
Of course thereweremany lightermomentsduring thestrict selectionprocess.
Dr Jan Dreyer, who was a member of the selection panel for about 25 years,
remembers one incident clearly. A farmer’s wife treated the panel very
elegantly to tea and refreshments. Her little daughter clearly wanted to chat
to the panel members. Dr Jan recounts that the mother tried to herd her
away ‘like a sheepdog herding sheep’. In an unguarded moment this young
miss grabbed the opportunity, looked panel member Prof Ockie Bosch in the
eye and declared: ‘Oom, my mother borrowed these little golden teaspoons
and she said if óne of them should disappear she would personally
dônner
the people who came for tea.’
All that Prof Alan Bennie, who served on the selection panel for 22 years,
wanted to share was that the selectors spent a lot of time in each other’s
company and then ‘people become a bit silly’.
Dr Dreyer also remembers the time when their team went to the farmstead
for coffee after their visit. There the farmer’s wife said that she wanted to
thank them, because she had been asking her husband for thirty years to
remove a heap of rubbish from the yard. Just before the panel’s visit it was
removed at last…
It was also clear that absolutely nothing was left undone before these visits
of the selection panel. At some farms that they visited the paint on the walls
was still wet, Dr Jan continued.
In the beginning members of the panel went to the farms by car and this led
to racing. One man allegedly set the speed control of his car at 180 km/h! A
former member of the panel said that he was always very grateful when he
came home in one piece after such a trip. The organisers fortunately made
minibuses available for this purpose later on.