PALS drives dozens of land projects in 10 years

The events in August 2012, when infrastructure sustained R400 million in damage and three people died in violent protests in the Ceres area, were one of the sparks for the creation of Partners in Agri Land Solutions (PALS).

It was officially launched on 19 August 2014 as the Witzenberg Partnership, said Pieter du Toit, executive director of the Dutoit Group and one of the PALS founders. He was speaking at the annual meeting of Witzenberg PALS in Ceres, where the 10-year milestone was celebrated.

Du Toit explained that the idea was to influence policy and sustainable development.

After gaining the support of the local municipality, the Witzenberg Partnership became Witzenberg PALS NPC in 2015. Since then, it has expanded to the Northern Cape, Eastern Cape, Free State and Mpumalanga.

“The founders were farmers, practical people, who struggled to adopt a concept and put it into practice. The outcome was that it had to be a project that brought about change at the grassroots level,” said Du Toit

Leader in agricultural development

Raymond Koopstad of La Vouere, who became part of a PALS project in 2017, said PALS is now a fully-fledged institution that plays a meaningful and leading role in agricultural development.

“PALS has the ability to support any new project, regardless of the commodity, and develop it into a sustainable and productive agri-enterprise.”

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Gerrit van Vuuren, strategic and legal adviser for PALS, said it is involved in 53 shareholder projects. Another 150 projects have the potential to be implemented with better state support. He believes PALS is a vehicle to create a more sustainable future for South Africa.

“The late Jan-Linde du Toit said at a ward meeting during the protests that it bothered him that we always act reactively rather than proactively,” said Van Vuuren.

“Pieter suggested we consult inclusively with the entire community, and Gys du Toit closed the meeting on 19 August by saying: ‘People, our farmers find it so hard to work together, but for this initiative we must work together in the interest of the country.’ ”

Van Vuuren said there had been disappointments over the years, particularly the poor service delivery during the Zuma era or when projects had to be scrapped because enablers had hidden agendas.

“However, there was also the excitement and satisfaction of new title deeds, financiers, and new farming enterprises,” said Van Vuuren.

“I remember the joy over the financial support from Nedbank and the Jobs Fund. And especially the restoration of many people’s humanity and dignity thanks to pioneering farmers and shareholders involved in the projects. There is the knowledge that we are doing the right thing in the right way.”

Blended financing

Hennie du Toit, vice-chair of Witzenberg PALS, highlighted the leading role the organisation played in blended financing as one of its recent successes.

“With perseverance, we facilitated the first joint partnership agreement (KLP Agri) financed according to this scheme. We hope the process will now accelerate and be adopted by all commercial banks,” he said.

Prof Marius Ungerer of the business school at Stellenbosch University identified several building blocks on which he believes PALS’s success is based. They include an optimistic worldview, a clear vision for the future, strong principles, and the ability to choose between strategic options.

The Solutions for the Countryside conference hosted by African Farming’s sister title, Landbouweekblad, the Land Summit in Bela-Bela in 2017, and a land symposium co-hosted by Landbouweekblad and PALS in 2019, attended by more than 500 people, were highlighted as some of the achievements of the past decade.