Giel Baphalane Community
The relationship between the Baphalane community and the Du Toit family was formed over many generations that lived and worked together in the same area. After 1994 the SA government launched a land claims project where many farms were bought from white farmers as the land had historically belonged to certain communities. As this was the case with the Baphalane community, the Baphalane Communal Property Association (CPA) was formed and various farms in the Krokodilrivier Irrigation Valley were bought for the Baphalane Community, including the neighbouring farms of the Du Toit family. Many white farmers saw this as a threat but Mr Jaco du Toit saw this as an opportunity to make a difference and took on the challenge to help the communities.
A formal business relationship between the Baphalane Communal Property Association and Mr Jaco du Toit’s family business started in approximately 2008. Various projects were lodged by this newly formed relationship, and as expected this was not always an easy task due to various differences in the missions, vision, level of skills and expertise of the various parties. Finance was also an enormous challenge that the Baphalane Community faced as they lacked finances for input costs or to do the necessary infrastructure developments to enable them to operate an economic farming unit. The parties worked together through the challenges and overcame many obstacles, which resulted in the relationship based on trust being strengthened.
During 2009 chillies were planted on a large scale in the Baphalane Community farmlands. Mr du Toit assisted the Community to plant wheat as their winter crop and chillies as a summer crop that was harvested in early 2010. Opportunities for the upliftment of women and job creation projects were created. In 2010 the Conventional Irrigation System had to be upgraded to Pivot Irrigation in order to improve yields, maximise irrigation cycle management and to minimise human damage to crops which occur due to Conventional Irrigation Systems. On a positive note most of the farms owned by the Baphalane Community were adjoining, which meant there was the opportunity to plan Pivot Irrigation in an effective way in order to utilise as much arable land as possible.
Mr du Toit assisted the Baphalane Community not only with their Irrigation Farms, but also with their grazing fields. He helped them to repair and maintain their boreholes, roads and border fences. In addition Mr du Toit assisted the community with donations when they had certain CPA meetings.
Ongoing skills transfer and social development opportunities are available to the Baphalane Community, which focus especially on women to participate in the production of produce such as cabbage, butternuts, chillies and spinach. These projects directly affect the social wellbeing of their family due to the additional income that can be earned from these projects. The projects are based on voluntarily participation, and due to the social grant structure developed by the government some of the women are unfortunately not eager to participate.
