Seen and heard

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The story of Hagar is extraordinary.

An Egyptian slave girl to the increasingly wealthy Abram and Sarai, Hagar was probably forced to leave her country, her people and her beliefs. Hagar was most likely not her real name and, since it means ‘foreigner’, ‘flight’ or ‘forsaken’, probably generic.

The relationship between Sarai and Hagar was strained. Hagar was property and she was treated as such. She was ‘given’ to Abram when Sarai thought she could not bear her husband a son. Sarai was stunningly beautiful and rich while Hagar was invisible unless she was wanted. So, when Hagar fell pregnant with Abram’s child, she retaliated with her only ammunition: taunting Sarai for being barren.

Abram had probably been spectator to this rivalry for at least ten years and had grown weary of the drama. So, when Sarai came crying over Hagar’s abuse, Abram’s exasperated response was, ‘She’s your slave, you deal with it.’ Sarai treats her so badly that Hagar eventually runs away.

Here’s where it gets really interesting. Hagar becomes the first recorded person in the Bible to encounter an angel, and her experience is so restorative that she personalises God with the name ‘El Roi’, ‘the God who sees me’.

How extraordinary that God would be so interested in someone so lowly as a slave, someone who had probably worshiped idols before she presumably converted to her masters’ faith.

What made Hagar so special that God would personally intervene? How did He instal in her such identity that she would not only return to an abusive situation but submit to Sarai’s authority?

I believe it was about the boy growing inside her and who his father was. In addition to the love we know He has for all people, God was interested in Hagar because her son Ishmael was part of a Plan so big and intricate that no one would understand its significance for hundreds of years.

That day in the wilderness on the road to Shur, the angel told Hagar to call her son ‘Ishmael’, which means ‘God hears’ and that her descendants would be more than she could count. It gave her so much hope that she courageously stepped into a promise, holding on to a faith that had not originally even been hers.

Some years later Hagar would find herself back in the wilderness because of a fallout with Sarah, this time because Ishmael had made fun of Sarah’s son Isaac. While God allowed Hagar to be sent away this time, he was still the God who saw her, the One who heard her son’s cries. He was still El Roi, the One who saw Hagar and Who knew the unique role she still had to play in raising, guiding and marrying off Abraham’s son. So, again the angel speaks to her and reiterates the promise of a great nation of descendants (Genesis 21:18) and again she takes hold of a promise she may have stopped believing in.

Interestingly, God also comforts Abraham at this time by confirming that both sons were covered under the covenant promise of father of nations: “Do not be upset over the boy … for Isaac is the son through whom your descendants will be counted, but I will also make a nation of the descendants of Hagar’s son because he is your son, too.” (Genesis 21: 12,13)

The Bible says God was with Ishmael as he grew up in the wilderness, that he became a skilful archer and that Hagar arranged for him to be married to a woman from her homeland Egypt. Today, Ishmael is widely considered the traditional ancestor of the Arab people, which incorporates many nations over large and prosperous territory.

So, what would have been Hagar’s fate if she had not been given to Abram? If she had remained the invisible slave or never even been taken into slavery? If she was spared the sexual encounters with an 85-year-old man, would she have become the mother of one of the richest and most influential people groups? When she saw her son flourish under the generational blessing of foreigners, would she have wanted it any other way?

Many of us have horrifying stories we choose not to remember or retell. We find it hard to see the sense and are angry at the injustice. Some of us may have walked far enough down the road to see the bigger picture and, while we don’t want to relive the trauma, some of it might at least make more sense.

The crux of the matter is, as God’s children we are part of a Plan so much greater than what we can imagine and there is a good chance that the ultimate fulfilling of some promises will play out long after we have departed from this earth.

It requires great faith to understand that our roles in eternity supersede our lives on earth, and it takes great maturity to accept that we may never know in our natural lives why things did not turn out the way we had anticipated.

Hagar’s story has many lessons, but two things stand out for me now. Hagar was seen and heard by God because she carried Abraham’s child, who in turn directly linked her to a holy covenant. Through Jesus, as children of God, we stand in covenant relationship with the Father and thus have access to God’s eyes and ears – not just when we are desperate, but in our everyday existence. He loved Hagar and he loves us.

Secondly, her decision to hold on to the promise enabled Hagar to not only look beyond her circumstances, but to endure it. Her ultimate reward was seeing her son flourish under God’s protection, come into his own and get married. We too will be supported, promoted and celebrated when we choose to believe in God’s promises and obey His commands.

May you too experience El Roi in the most restorative way. May you hold on to His hope. May the promises of our good God come to fruition in your life soon.

The story of Hagar and the covenant promise is relayed in Genesis 16, 17 and 21 of the Christian Bible.

Author: Athane Scholtz originally written for A Vivid Life Christian Blog | Suria Scholtz

Water ways, water wise

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In an all-year rainfall area where lush vegetation and water sources abound, it is hard to imagine that the southern Cape had seen two major droughts in seven years and that more is to come. Local authorities have heeded the warning signs and continue to address bigger-picture issues in one of the fastest growing regions in the country.

Water management in the Garden Route District is complex. The area incorporates seven municipalities with very diverse rainfall patterns, resources and infrastructure. From all-wet rainforests, oceans and misty lakes south of the Outeniqua mountains to the semi-desert Little Karoo and proper desert Great Karoo, water management requires a multi-faceted approach, interagency participation and open-minded managers.

Fortunately for us, the region’s first major water crisis in 2009/10 activated emergency legislation and funding that kick-started an ongoing, integrated approach that continues to this day.

Garden Route District Municipality (GRDM) Disaster Management head Gerhard Otto says that except for a dry spell in the 1920s when the area was scarcely populated, the sea side of the district hadn’t experienced drought before 2009/10. “Climate change and weather phenomena like El Niño had significant impacts on coastal regions. Two years before we had severe flooding and multiple above-average rainfall events, and here we were dealing with the real threat of whole towns running out of water.

“In addition, population growth has soared since the early 2000s and was expected to continue indefinitely. Not only would more water be consumed, but more bulk infrastructure and storage facilities would be required,” says Gerhard.

That first drought lasted nearly two years and peaked with the Garden Route Dam outside George at 16,9% capacity and the Karatara River above Sedgefield running dry.

The region was declared a disaster area, which triggered national emergency funding for boreholes, laying of additional pipelines, a water reclamation plant in George and desalination plants in Plettenberg Bay, Knysna, Sedgefield and Mossel Bay.

The measures kept the region going until the drought finally lifted, but meteorological reports predicted indefinite cyclical patterns of drought, floods and other weather phenomena.

Since then, the district has been working with all municipalities, relevant government departments, NGOs, landowners and advisers to systematically address potable water supply for the entire district as an ongoing project.

“Disaster Management is about preparing for the worst-case scenario, so we tackle water supply from as many angles as possible and we never let up. Every drop really does count and every action towards conservation matters. It is every citizen’s responsibility to respect water for the scarce resource it is, always, not just when there is a drought.

“Our local municipalities have been excellent in addressing water-related issues – from multi-layered water restrictions and water awareness campaigns to securing national Municipal Infrastructure Grant (MIG) funding for bulk infrastructure development and upgrades.”

The largest municipality, George, has been leading the way in a multi-faceted approach.

Among its greatest recent victories are the raising of the Garden Route Dam spillway and dam wall to secure an additional 25% capacity, and the installation of solar power at water pumping stations to curb effects of loadshedding.

The city has a leaks reduction programme and a rapid response team for pipe bursts. It was the first to amend building regulations for the compulsory installation of rainwater tanks for new developments which reduced usage from 38Kl per day to 25Ml per day within a few years. Only now, more than a decade later, has population growth caught up to the old consumption figures and this time there are sufficient measures in place to address the bigger picture. George Municipality has also successfully petitioned for additional finance from National Treasury to address pressing infrastructure requirements to support massive population growth and related development.

There is concern for towns such as Plettenberg Bay, Knysna and Sedgefield because water is drawn from rivers. If drought sets in, rivers will eventually run too low for water extraction. While emergency wells and desalination are in place, it is not a sustainable long-term solution and some serious money and buy-in from national government might be required to address these fast-growing towns. It is the only area in the district where the building of a dam for the use of both municipalities may be viable, and studies into these possibilities have recently started.

The jury is still out on Mossel Bay whose main water supply is the Wolwedans Dam, which was built in the 1980s for PetroSA’s cooling processes. During the first drought, Mossel Bay was at serious risk of running dry as the refinery drew its usual capacity while the town was under severe water restrictions. At the time, an innovative exchange plan in which purified municipal wastewater was channelled to PetroSA in exchange for dam water for the town, was a major breakthrough.

Since then, the gas deposits off the coast of Mossel Bay has diminished and PetroSA’s output has declined. The refinery’s reduced water consumption is currently giving the local municipality some breathing space, but other options are being explored should it become necessary.

Different rules apply across the mountain in Oudtshoorn where most of its water supply is snow within its catchment area. Just 60km from George, the town is becoming an increasingly popular commuter destination and population figures for the area is growing. The Raubenheimer Dam has seldom dropped below alarming levels, but multiple boreholes in the area is currently still sufficient as a back-up.

Great Karoo towns such as Ladysmith has multiple boreholes equipped with solar powered pumps and supply is expected to be sufficient for the foreseeable future.

GRDM has for the first time explored artesian water, drilled from giant aquifers below the Klein Karoo, to supply water to the area. At 780 metres the four boreholes outside Dysselsdorp are the deepest in sub-Saharan Africa and requires minimal equipment as the depth creates pressure to rise the water above the surface. Water from this source feeds into the Klein Karoo Rural Water Supply Scheme which supplies rural communities towards Calitzdorp, and has the potential to supply other areas with extended pipelines should it become necessary.

Gerhard says the next move is an elaborate cross-municipality water management plan to connect and integrate resources so towns can help each other out during drought. “GRDM has just commissioned a major viability study to explore all options across the entire district, considering relevant legislation, options on public and private land, as well as all types of water supply including surface water, groundwater, rainwater capture, desalination and reuse.

“International minimum humanitarian standards for water supply are 75 litres per person per day. It is the GRDM’s goal to set up alternative water sources to reach the 75-litre target across all municipalities in its jurisdiction, in addition to existing infrastructure. While there will be many hurdles to cross, including legislative and functional implications, I believe it is possible and it will be lifechanging for the long-term sustainability of the Garden Route,” says Gerhard.

The bigger picture

While urban areas have made strides in water conservation, it remains a mere 15% of water consumption in the region. Agriculture uses 67% of water resources and industry make up most of the rest.

Dr Bianca Currie, chief executive of the Garden Route Biosphere Reserve, says that while much can be done to better manage water use on farmland, the largest single threat for long-term water security in the Outeniqua Strategic Water Source Area is the proliferation of water-thirsty invasive alien vegetation in water catchment areas.

 

“Eradication is expensive, labour intensive and must be ongoing to make a real difference. To be really effective, eradication should be addressed at the source, which in some cases mean high altitude areas that can only be reached by specialised teams,” says Bianca.

 

The GR Biosphere Reserve has established working groups to identify priority areas within its jurisdiction and priority projects that would ensure maximum water gain for the economies downstream. In the Western Cape, its first focus will be large scale eradication of invasive alien species in the river system that feeds the Garden Route Dam.

“We are also working towards developing an innovative funding model for Strategic Water Source Areas which involves identifying metrics for monitoring and evaluating water quality and quantity gains which can be used by investors to measure outcomes,” says Bianca.

This story, written by ATHANE SCHOLTZ, first appeared in SOUTH Magazine, Summer 2023.

Photograph by DESMOND SCHOLTZ LEGACY

What is your story?

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If someone asked you out of the blue, ‘What is your story?’, what would you say?
Would you answer chronologically and begin with your birth, talk about where you were raised?
Would you define yourself according to your career, your qualifications, and achievements?
Or would you adapt your answer based on who was asking?

Do you have a God-story? Is it for Him or against Him?
How high up in your unprepared life story would God make His appearance?

Years ago, I learned how to put my own God-story together so I could tell other people about Jesus. There had to be an introduction before-Christ-sin-story, a ‘how I met Jesus’ story, and a conclusion about how He changed my life thereafter.

But I was nine years old when I accepted Jesus as my Saviour. The most dramatic change in my life after salvation was my mom cutting up our Liewe Heksie-vinyls and the adults no longer drinking wine.

In my early twenties, when I really had to live out my Christianity in the unprotected real world as a newspaper journalist, I wondered how relevant my testimony would be to the people I encountered. What type of credibility would I convey to people for whom things might have gone terribly wrong while my own life had gone relatively smoothly?

The Holy Spirit reminded me that my testimony was that God had fulfilled His promises of a good and prosperous life because I had been obedient and because my parents had raised me in His ways.

But, as for many longtime Christians, my real story is that God was faithful when I was not.

When I got a bit ‘wild’ in my mid-twenties, he protected me despite my stupid mistakes and bad decisions. The lessons made me less judgmental towards others and gave me deep empathy, grace, and compassion for people. He used the failure and shame of a toxic relationship to help me recognise and appreciate the value of the man I eventually married.

God was faithful when the chaos of family life, demanding working circumstances and illness in the family consumed me and days went by that I did not pray or think of Him.

He was faithful when I started to forget His Word, my language got rougher, and the fruits of the Spirit wasn’t so evident in my life.

I once again realised a halfway, lukewarm, grey God-story would benefit nobody. For the half a step I then took in His direction, He erased the rest of the gap between us in an instant.

In recent years I have spent more time in God’s Word than ever before. I went to a lot of trouble to surround myself with solid Christian people, got involved at a church and started investing in people.

So, when the largest storm of my life broke out over my head in 2021, there was peace that transcended understanding.

My person-story and my God-story is more the same story these days, and finally my first instinct is to pray before I think. And all of it is God. Nothing is in my own strength or at all in my control. It is simultaneously terrifying and deeply comforting that even my choice to be close to Him completely lies in His hands.

So, what is your story?
You decide.

God is there anyway to be the focus of your story, but His grace lies in the freedom He gives you to choose Him.

It doesn’t matter if you aren’t in a good space in your life, He will take you as you are. It also doesn’t matter if it is going really well with you and you think you don’t need Him, you do.

Don’t wait until you think you can earn His grace or understand His depth. You will never be able to do that on your own.

So just surrender.
God will do the rest.

Athane Scholtz
George, South Africa
Originally published in Afrikaans for A Vivid Life inspirational blog in April 2022
https://avividlife.co.za/wat-is-jou-storie/

Ultimate survivors

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Doing business on the Garden Route is not for sissies and few companies outlast the complications of seasonality, high transport costs and other factors that have caused thousands of businesses to fail here in the past. South talks to six local businesses that have managed to keep head above water in the Southern Cape for more than 30 years.

By Yolandé Stander and Athane Scholtz

Robberg Group
Despite serious challenges in the fishing industry, the Robberg Group has grown from a fish shop and butchery in Plettenberg Bay’s Main Street in 1979 to a major wholesale fresh and deli food distributor employing more than 70 people. Founding partner and managing director Malcolm Craig shares how the company deals with the ups and downs.

Tell us about your business journey.
I arrived in Plett 1971, never thinking that my fishing hobby would become my profession. I worked for the Ollemans family at the original butchery and fish shop in Main Road, eventually buying it in 1979.
A partnership with the late Peter Dodds allowed us to expand into fishing, processing, retail and wholesale as well as the export of squid and line caught hake.

The by-catch of our boats as well as the excess products allowed us to extend our distribution area to Knysna, George, Mossel Bay and later Port Elizabeth.

A series of challenges affected fish production, how did you overcome these issues?
Permit allocations in 2000, lack of harbour facilities out of Plettenberg Bay and the world financial collapse in 2008, which resulted in a huge decrease in demand on the export market, eventually rendered the industry unviable.

Robberg had by that time built up an amazing network of relationships in the fishing and frozen food industry, and we diversified into distribution of a wider range of food products.

What would you attribute to your on-going success?
My job has always been to look forward to see the bumps in the road. Some people say I am negative but I believe I am a realist and my decisions affect all my staff and their families, so I would rather be aware of the problems ahead of time to better prepare for them. The advantages of looking ahead for the pitfalls are that you can also look ahead to the opportunities. It is that kind of thinking as well as seizing the opportunities at hand that have led to our success so far. Also, having a partner like Blaine Dodds (many times SA and World Hobie champion), whose tenacity as an athlete is reflected in business – we never consider losing or giving up.

You contribute significantly to the local economy and empower locals, what role does this play in standing the test of time?
Success, to me, is that you are only as good as your team. You need to have strong honest relationships with your staff as well as your trading partners. Although many jobs were lost in Plettenberg Bay due to the demise of fishing operations here, Robberg managed to maintain and even increase the number of jobs in our factory. We currently employ more than 70 people full time and take on extra staff over season.

You’ve survived one of the worst recessions this country has seen, what would you say saved you where others failed?
Budget, budget, budget – you cannot spend money you have not made yet, or don’t have in reserve.
www.robberg.co.za

The Potter
Ceramicist Rudi Botha has turned his passion for clay into a flourishing business with a wide range of functional and decorative products. From his eclectic shop on the N2 at Harkerville he supplies retailers and customers worldwide.

How have you managed to make a sustainable living from a craft for nearly 35 years?
Passion helps a lot when you create something but making a living or doing business requires very hard work, long trading hours and reasonable costing.

How has seasonality affected your business and how did you overcome it?
The first three years after I established The Potter in 1981, I opened doors only during the three busy months of summer, and offered pottery classes to locals three times a day during the rest of the year. The classes were popular as there was very little to do other than swimming, fishing, hiking and dodging elephants on your way to Knysna. As Plettenberg Bay grew in size, seasonality became less of an issue. I took orders during busy times and filled them in the quieter times. During the quiet times we delivered personally, and caught up with advertising and produced for season.

When and why did you start supplying other retail stores?
I started wholesaling soon after I opened to soften the seasonal aspect of doing business in a holiday town. Our products and price structure were well received in the marketplace, and we have been open to different ideas and specific requests from clients. This was before faxes, cell phones and social media, and exposure to our products was either by people visiting our shop or craft markets. We had to supply other outlets to grow.

What would you say is the key to your success for so long?
One of the factors was being married to a wonderful friend, Ilza, who carried all the aches and pains of creating and selling. Another aspect was keeping an open mind to create what the public asked for and to keep on learning, as well as hard – very hard – work. Since 1996, The Potter has been open for business seven days a week. When you only have a seasonal market it is no use to complain about bad business if you go fishing or relax on the beach with your potential clients – it was always very tempting to be swept up in the holiday mood.

How important has your location next to the N2 been for business?
After successfully trading in the old Keurboomstrand Post Office for several years from 1981, the new national road was built and it by-passed us. Although The Potter was were already established, the effect on our trade made us realise just how important location and visibility was. That is why in 1996 we chose our current location.

Do you follow trends when you produce your goods or do you stick to a tried and tested formula? How important is following this decision business-wise?
I do look at market trends and constantly renew the product range. Market trends will reflect on your sales and that gives you a clear indication. We, however, also still produce products I started making 35 years ago but sometimes it’s just a matter of evolving them as the market shifts. The bottom line is to look and learn.
www.thepotter.co.za

Pembreys
Few business achievements are as admirable as managing a restaurant on the Garden Route for nearly 40 years. Viv and Peter Vadas, the owners of Pembreys outside Knysna, are legends in a region where the hospitality industry is the first to fail when the going gets tough.

What is the secret of your longevity?
Peter, a qualified chef, and I have been in this business, first at Lake Pleasant Hotel and then Pembreys, since 1977 and we have seen so many restaurants try to copy new or other successful businesses. Rather, serve what you are familiar and comfortable with and soon the business will even out. There is a place for all types of eateries.

You have made it through two recessions when luxuries like dining out were being discarded. How did you survive in the most difficult of times?
It was tough but staying true to ourselves and being confident that we had a niche market that would support us, pulled us through.

How have rising food costs affected your business and how did you counter that?
We cannot deny that profits have decreased significantly, but we can’t just push up our prices every time there is a rise in costs. We just work harder to compensate.

What are the most important business lessons you have learned?
Every customer is important. So often a young person will come in and tell us they remembered eating at Pembreys as a small child. Plus, the locals are more important than tourists because they support us year round and recommend us wherever they go.

To what degree is your business affected by seasonality and how do you overcome it?
Seasonality affects us less now than 30 years ago, when visitors came only between November and January, as season now extends from about October to around May. During the quiet months we pay special attention to guests and do not become complacent.

Do you develop your menu to keep up with trends or have you stuck to a tried and tested formula? How important is this in running a successful restaurant?
We do move with the times and supplies have improved so much on the Garden Route to facilitate this, but our returning customers usually come back for a particular dish so we have to keep the popular dishes as the backbone of the menu. We have become known for making all our own ice creams, pastas, desserts and soup, in fact everything on the premises, and Peter and I will not open the restaurant if we cannot be at work ourselves.
http://pembreys.co.za

Fechters
Established in Knysna in 1936 when indigenous timber production was booming, Fechters furniture manufacturers had to reinvent themselves many times over to survive the significant changes in their industry. Head of operations Morné Smith tells of their journey.

How has Fechters grown into the company it is today?
Established by George Fechter when Knysna was the hub of woodworking and production of fine furniture, the company grew to become known countrywide for quality indigenous solid wood furniture. During a decline in demand for traditional indigenous wood furniture in the early 1990’s, Fechters branched out into the manufacturing of patio furniture. Towards the mid-nineties, we established a good export market for outdoor furniture, which served us well until the onset of the global economic crisis in 2008.

With the rapid demise of the export market, and a local economic recession looming, the business went through a major strategic restructure. Our focus shifted back to the local market and increasing retail sales through our Knysna store. We also diversified our product range further by manufacturing a range of upholstered furniture. This strategy paid off and we have been experiencing constant growth since 2011.

How important is the Fechters brand reputation for producing quality products and how does that relate to surviving in business?
It is very important. As a local manufacturer, we experience fierce competition from imported products and in many cases cannot compete on price. Our niche is to focus on the higher end of the market, where quality is a higher priority than just price. However, we still strive to provide our customers with well-made, value-for-money products.

How important is it to keep up with trends?
The South African furniture market was seen for many years as being of more conservative taste, but with a bigger exposure to overseas trends via the Internet, South African buyers have become more trend and design conscious. We study the overseas trends regularly, and find that they are filtering into the South African market much quicker these days. Our traditional range of furniture does not enjoy the appeal of years ago, and our product ranges are now mostly contemporary.

The local timber industry has taken several knocks over the years, how has this affected business and how did you overcome these challenges?
One of our biggest challenges was the fact that indigenous timber was no longer as freely available on auction as it used to be. There was also a steep increase in price. Our strategy was to reduce our dependency on only local timbers and to work with imported alternatives. Unfortunately the weak rand is not doing us any favours at the moment.

What do you believe have been the key factors to Fechters’ success?
Strategic change in tough economic conditions; understanding the market and adapting to changing trends; a well-established brand that is known for quality products and finally excellent customer and after-sales service have all played a role.

Do you believe it is better to have a specialised range and focus on core products or to be “a Jack of all trades”?
Focus is quite important, and something that we spent a lot of time on. As part of our restructuring, we took a critical look at everything we were producing and made a decision to specialise in the product ranges that were profitable instead of producing anything that came our way.
044 382 7294 www.fechters.co.za

Mungo

Master weaver Stuart Holding and wife Janet have been part of the Garden Route craft revolution since the 1970s and are best known as the creative minds behind Old Nick Village outside Plettenberg Bay. In 1998 Stuart founded the now internationally recognised textile design company Mungo. His daughter Tessa, who heads marketing at Mungo, gives some insight into the company’s success.

How important is top quality, ethical production to business success?
People are increasingly looking for ethically produced products. With a strained economy customers are looking to spend their money better and are tired of inferior quality. Often times they don’t have the choice or it is more convenient to stop at a chain store to purchase homeware, but we have found an increasing awareness and people are looking for quality goods versus cheaper imports.

Mungo has the rare ability to create fabrics from inception of design to final product. What are the benefits of doing this?
We can control the whole process; make sure each step is done to our standards and quality. There is transparency in the production chain, which is important when producing an ethical product. We can also, to some degree, control the costs – although production costs are high in South Africa – as there are no third party buying, selling or importing costs that add to the end price.

Mungo has grown from only a few products made at Old Nick Village to a larger mill, more than 60 different products and retail stores in Plett and Cape Town, as well as international distribution via e-commerce. How has branching out impacted on the company’s success?
Mungo has gained traction around South Africa and there is a definite market in the bigger city centres for what we are producing. We also don’t have to just rely on holiday trade and can have more consistent and sustainable year-round turnover. Mungo is a little off the beaten track in the Garden Route but e-commerce has opened avenues for worldwide export. As a lot of overseas tourists come through the area and visit the shop and museum, we are able to service these clients once they have gone home. It has opened up our market although a challenge is the taxes, duties and shipping costs.

How did you survive the 2008 recession?
Our success is due to hard work, not compromising, believing in what we do and offering a unique product and experience to our customers.

Has product refinement played a role in growing the business?
Stuart Holding has worked mainly from his passion to create textiles. He does not necessarily focus on a specific product or demand, but more on how the cloth will look and feel and what makes it unique. This shines through in our product. Our range started out with quite a classical and European feel, and we are slowly adding a more ethnic branch to it. This may open our export market a little more, although we will not divert far from what has made Mungo what it is.
044 533 1395 www.mungo.co.za

CG Terblanche and Sons
The late Christiaan Gerber Terblanche started his lumber transporting business with one truck in 1959. Fifty-six years later his wife Marie and five sons – Anton, Christo, Marius, Deon and Stephan – continue a legacy that employs more than 130 people.
CG Terblanche and Sons operates as a closed corporation with business including timber harvesting and transport, mixed farming and a general dealer in Elandskraal outside Sedgefield.

What do you think is the key to your on-going success?
We are proud of our good service and all the brothers remain active and visible throughout the business. Two of us still drive trucks, and all of us are hands-on and involved in the nitty gritty of everyday operations. We have gathered around us a good and loyal team of workers, many of whom have been with us for more than 20 years. We work very hard, and expect our employees to do the same.

How has the business survived two recessions and a two-year drought?
We worked very hard at remaining competitive in the market. For instance, we have our own workshop that services 22 trucks weekly and excellent relationships with long-time suppliers of spares and support technicians. We have also invested in specialised machinery to ensure more efficient harvesting. Until 2006 we were also dairy farmers, but we realised we were not large enough to supply sustainably, and the effort that went in did not justify the return per litre. The drought was the final straw – we reduced our stock and moved our business from large-scale dairy to small-scale meat production.

While it looks like the matter will be resolved in the long-term, government instructions to withdraw forestry operations in the Western Cape is having a direct impact on your business. How are you planning to deal with its implications?
As in the past when things got tough, we will look for new opportunities and diversify.

What are the greatest challenges in your business?
Labour issues and related administration is very time-consuming and complicated. There are many safety concerns linked to harvesting trees, transport and farming, and all our workers are extensively trained to ensure minimum risk and injury. The increasing cost of diesel is also always a factor, and filters down to almost every aspect of our business.

How does a family business with so many members involved operate without major fall-outs?
Each of the brothers is assigned a different aspect of the business and assumes full responsibility for his part. We actually get on very well, respect each other, and while we sometimes disagree, we always keep in mind that it is about CG Terblanche and Sons.

What is the most rewarding part of your work?
Being able to work outdoors in beautiful natural surroundings. Knowing that while every day has its challenges, as long as everyone is happy, things will work out for the best.

Caption
CG Terblanche and sons, from left to right Deon, Stephan,
Christo, Marius and Anton.

This article first appeared in SOUTH Magazine Summer 2025.