OVERVIEW Companies KLK
OVERVIEW Companies KLK is based in Upington and does much more than karakul pelts. The company’s interests include 19 retail outlets, 12 petrol stations, four Build it franchises and a strong auction division. KLK runs three abattoirs in Calvinia, Carnarvon and Upington that slaughter lamb and beef carcasses. SA Dorper manages the production and export of dorper skins and the production of cattle hides. GWK is another company with its headquarters in the Northern Cape, in this case the town of Douglas. In 2016 GWK invested R400- million in a wheat mill, pasta plant and biscuit factory in Modder River. GWK Farm Foods’ new plant has a capacity of 25t/h for wheat flour, 1.3t/h for biscuits and 1t/h for pasta. R60-million was spent on increasing silo capacity to feed the plant. The company reported turnover in 2016 of R8.3-billion. Senwes is one of the country’s biggest agri-companies and its Northern Cape area of operation is mostly around the Vaalharts irrigation area, which is fairly close to the headquarters just over the provincial border in North West, at Klerksdorp. Storage and handling of grains and oilseeds are the speciality of Senwes. OVK controls the large Gariep abattoir at Strydenburg, which has a daily capacity of 1 300 sheep, 100 cattle and either 250 ostriches or 750 small game animals. OVK also has trade branches, vehicle dealerships, a finance division and manufacturing facilities for maize meal and wheat meal. Kaap Agri is a Western Cape company with a presence in the Northern Cape and Namibia. Aquaculture and mariculture The Northern Cape’s 313km-long coastline carries great economic potential, even beyond the various land and sea-based mining operations that have been carried on along the coast for many years. The Northern Cape is well placed to take advantage of growing global demand for abalone. The aquaculture consultancy Sustainable Environmental Aquaculture Services (SEAS) helped create an abalone farm at Kleinzee which will produce 200 tons of product per year when it is at full capacity. The Western Cape company Tuna Marine is contracted to buy abalone from the Kleinzee facility, which is owned by Ponahalo Holdings (the empowerment partner of De Beers Consolidated Mining South Africa). With food security an important consideration, the provincial government has committed to supporting small-scale fishers. The Premier of the Province, Sylvia Lucas, announced in her 2016 State of the Province address that a feasibility study for a deep-water harbour has identified a site 70km north of Port Nolloth, Boegoebaai. If this project is undertaken, it will significantly boost the maritime sector in the Northern Cape. Forty farmers have signed up for a Catfish Project in the Vaalharts area. The scheme lies in the Phokwane Local Muncipality, north of Kimberley, which falls under the Frances Baard District Municipality. A joint venture by the national Department of Science and Technology (DST) and HIK Abalone is running an abalone project in Hondeklip Bay with the intention of producing 120 tons of abalone for sale. This seaside town is very well known for its kelp. The coastline of the Northern Cape has 2 000 hectares of kelp beds. There is a growing domestic and international demand for kelp. The old John Ovenstone factory in Port Nolloth is now the site of small-scale hatcheries for abalone and oysters. Premier Fishing has a lobster-processing plant in Port Nolloth. NORTHERN CAPE BUSINESS 2017/18 46
Rooibos tea is a global hit Health trends around the world are helping the sales of rooibos tea, most of which is farmed and processed in the Western Cape and Northern Cape provinces. Recent studies proving that rooibos tea increases antioxidant capacity in human blood are further proof of the beverage’s healthy qualities. The unique climate and soil of the western part of the province support this niche crop. In 2014, South Africa finally won “geographic indicator” status for rooibos, putting it in the same category as France’s “champagne” and Portugal’s “port”. About 6 000 tons of tea is now exported to more than 30 countries and domestic consumption is about 8 000 tons. In several coffee shops in London, Red Espresso has replaced the traditional double-shot of pure coffee, and a more recent use of the tea is to spruce up cocktails. The country’s biggest private producer, Rooibos Ltd, is based in the Western Cape town of Clanwilliam on the edge of the Cedarberg Mountains. About an hour’s drive further north, in the Northern Cape town of Nieuwoudtville, a newly developed rooibos factory is providing an outlet for small-scale farmers. An initiative of the Northern Cape Department of Agriculture Land Reform and Rural Development which started operating in 2008, the factory takes tea from 85 local farmers with the goal of helping to integrate these farmers into the agricultural and agri-processing business chain. OVERVIEW The Rooibos Council states that more than 5 000 people are employed in the rooibos industry. Only the leaves of the Aspalathus linearis (a legume that is part of the fynbos family) are used in making rooibos (Afrikaans for “red bush”). Harvested while still green, the leaves are left to dry and ferment in the sun after being cut up {pictured above). Naturally high in a range of vitamins and potassium, zinc and iron, its low tannin content makes it an excellent alternative as a hot drink. Fair Cape Dairies has a product called Rooiboost. ONLINE RESOURCES Agricultural Research Council: www.arc.agric.za Agri Northern Cape: www.agrink.co.za Agri SA: www.agrisa.co.za Aquaculture Association of South Africa: www.aasa-aqua.co.za Dorper Sheep Breeders Association of South Africa: www.dorpersa.co.za National Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries: www.daff.gov.za National Department of Science and Technology: www.dst.gov.za Northern Cape Department of Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development: www.agrinc.gov.za Northern Cape Economic Development Trade and Investment Promotion Agency: www.nceda.co.za Rooibos Council: www.sarooibos.co.za Rooibos Route: www.rooibos-route.co.za Thoroughbred Breeders Association of South Africa: www.tba.org.za 47 NORTHERN CAPE BUSINESS 2017/18
