Agri AUG SEPT 09.indd - Agri SA

agri
Nuus / News
Farewell to the ‘fire and water’ building”
Agri SA is moving from the SAAU building at the end of August. The South African Agricultural Union
(SAAU) building has been home to Agri SA for four decades. According to Mr Piet Swart, former CEO of
Agri SA, discussions to protect the then SAAU (South African Agricultural Union), against inflation was
started by the Capelands Agricultural Union, president, Mr Devilliers Laubscher. Today he is remembered
as the ‘father of the thought’. Mr Frans van Wyk, chairman of the Co-operation Board initiated
the idea of erecting a building and got the approval from the Board. The decision was unilateral.
Architects, Harris Fels Jankes Nussbaum were contracted and tenders for engineers, building contractors
etc. were invited. Mr Swart recalls that the total cost to build the SAAU building, including air
Aconditioners, lifts etc. was less than R3.5 million. The difference between the money made available
by the farmers and the cost, was loaned against a current account from Volkskas Bank. The major
role players in getting approval for the erection of the building and managing the finances and negotiations
were Frans Van Wyk, Chris Celliers (then CEO) and Jan Mouton. The building was officially opened on 21
October 1970 by the Minister of Agriculture, Senator D.C.H Uys.
Initially, only SAAU staff occupied the 28th and 29th floors and the rest of the building was rented out.
Criticism was abound about the size of the building as many thought the building to be a white elephant. Talks
to sell the building were entertained,
but it never came to fruition. After the
building was gutted by fire in 1994,
decisions had to be made again about
the viability to fix it up, mothball the top
floors until later or sell it as it were.
Sentrasure, issued a cheque to the
value of R28 million, one of the biggest
insurance payouts until then in the history
of South Africa.
Almost the entire history of Agriculture
in South Africa was lost, but working
documents could be savaged. Agri SA
is built on strong foundations, and so
too, the structure of the building, which
had almost no structural damage.
Jack Raath, former Executive Director
of Agri SA, remembers the shock and
amazement when they realized that the
building was in fact burning. He claims
that there was a small fire in die cellar
the day before the big fire, and when
told that they need to evacuate the
building he was sure it was a waste of
time as the fire could be put out. He
remembers that Mr Piet Swart went
down the stairs to fetch chairs in order
for the staff to climb onto the helicopter
to page 34
The front cover of the Agri, July 1984.
Johan Pienaar, seated in what
used to be his chair, in the
remains of the building.
31
The plaques on either side of
the Agri SA mirror indicates the
original opening of the building
and the new one, after the
restoration done after the fire.
V olume 38 No 4