Senwes Scenario December 2018 / January 2019 | Page 26

NEWS
mixed grill
RPM’s for new RPO
Free State Chairman
 By Aubrey Kruger
Senwes Scenario Editor
Hartbeesfontein Farmers’
Union celebrates 90 years
 By Aubrey Kruger
Senwes Scenario Editor
SENWES EQUIPMENT, Grainovation,
Certisure and Hinterland were proud
sponsors of the 2018 Hartbeesfontein
Farmers' Union annual general meeting.
This farmers' union held its inaugural
Jaco Maré, the
meeting 90 years ago, on 14 February
chairman of the
1928. To celebrate this event, Christo van
Hartbeesfontein
der Rheede (Vice-Executive Director of
Farmers' Union
Agri SA) and Boeta du Toit (Executive
addresses the
General Manager, addressed the meeting.
audience during
their 2018 annual
The union has a rich history, which
becomes evident in the lobby where there general meeting, 90
years after the union
are photographs from all the chairman
held its first annual
- John Lemmer, Dick Lemmer, Danie
general meeting on
Jonker, Piet Hamman, John Ferreira,
14 February 1928.
Wernich Lemmer, Basie van Aarde, Philip
Meiring, André Kilian, Willem Jooste,
Frikkie Lemmer and Jaco Maré, the current union chairman.
The century-old link between farming and faith also became
evident in the foundation minutes, when it was decided tthat
a general meeting would be held after every holy communion
celebration.
The chairman, Jaco Maré, acknowledged all the members
and said that it was encouraging that so many women were
attending the meeting. Attendance is very important, since no
organisation can function without its members. He said that the
playing field was busy changing and that it was time to stand
together - “Should you and your neighbour not have peace, it is
time to rectify the matter.”
Van der Rheede provided an oversight on the events which
resulted in Cyril Ramaphosa’s dispensation and on the expected
situation during the upcoming 2019 national election. Du Toit
also praised the union as a place “where people have stood
together and will stand together in future.” Their leadership and
team approach, particularly in the area of safety, is picture of
success - they are an example to the country as a whole.
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SENWES SCENARIO | TECHNOLOGY & INNOVATION 2018
THE OBJECTIVE OF the chairman of the Red Meat Producers’
Organisation in the Free State is to “keep on doing what we are
doing, but to do it better and faster.”
Gielie Nieuwoudt from the farm Graspan in the Petrusburg
area was elected as the new chairman of this organisation in
September. He sees this position as another outlet since he
believes that everyone has to do his share. Gielie has been
a member of management of the RPO in the Free State for
the past five years and is also the chairman of the Hinterland
Customer Forum at Petrusburg. He is also a former chairman of
the Limousine Cattle Breeders’ Association in Bloemfontein and
a member of the Perdeberg District Farmers’ Union.
His objective is to elevate everything to a higher level and to
co-operate more and more with agri-companies. He mentions
that they have transformed to a larger extent, since 45% of cat-
tle are in the hands of emerging farmers.
His slogan is “do it properly or not at all”. The 57-year old
Gielie has been farming for 27 years and has been a member
of Senwes for the same period of time. “I have come a long
way with Senwes and Hinterland,” Gielie says proudly.
He is a cattle farmer par excellence and farms with
Limousines, Pinsgauers and Brangus cattle and he also has
Ile-de-France sheep. He prides himself of one characteristic,
namely humility - he does everything to the glory of the Lord.
Another objective of the father of two, Sunet and Mareli, who
has been married to Susan for 30 years, is to decrease dupli-
cation in the system.
Push up the revolutions per minute and ensure that the sys-
tems run smoothly Gielie!
Senwes wishes you a prosperous term of office as chairman
of the RPO in the Free State!
The new chair-
man of the RPO
Free State is Gielie
Niewoudt. Nieuwoudt
is featured here
with the Hinterland
branch manager of
Petrusburg, Lourens
Brand.