Casidra, Author at Casidra - Together for rural development

MAKWENA FAMILY TRUST’S HORSE STABLES UPGRADED

Casidra has completed the implementation of 20 unit horse stables for the Makwena Family Trust project situated in Beaufort West in the Central Karoo. Makwena Family Trust is a smallholder farm and was acquired by three beneficiaries through the Land Reform Agricultural Development Programme. This project is approximately three hectares in size and breeds horses. Currently there are about 20 horses on the farm that are used to teach the local children horse riding skills. The farm also produces horse-shoes...

2016-11-22By CasidraCEEDEERead more...

THE MURRAYSBURG ROOIDAM IS BEING RESTORED

The Western Cape Department of Agriculture (WCDoA), Casidra and other partners recently put back smiles and happiness on the faces of the Murraysburg community. The Rooidam, consisting of two dams, is currently being restored and the irrigation furrow system repaired. The primary aim of the dams was to supply the town with irrigation water, water that was distributed from higher up from the Buffelsrivier to serve as irrigation water for the numerous vegetable gardens that flourished at the time in...

2016-11-22By CasidraCEEDEERead more...

BOOYSEN TUNNEL FARMING PROJECT REACHES GREATER HEIGHTS

The Booysen tunnel farming project is situated on the Kraaifontein Avon-De-Rust farm owned by a retired farmer. This project initially started in 2013 and is leasing one hectare of land to a 27 year old vibrant farmer, Byron Booysen and his mother and sister. Booysen developed an interest in farming at an early age while he was growing up in the Eastern Cape. When his family moved to the Western Cape, Booysen studied Sports Science. After completing his studies, Booysen approached...

2016-11-22By CasidraCEEDEERead more...

CASIDRA DID IT AGAIN FOR THE 27TH TIME

Casidra did it again for the 27th time with an unqualified audit report to prove good governance during the company’s Annual General Meeting held on 30 August 2016 at its Head Office. Minister of Economic Opportunities, Alan Winde, congratulated Casidra for what he described as staying relevant in the industry. He said that it is always good to work with the company that always have some positive news and less risks. Minister Winde says that Casidra must continue to do what it...

2016-11-22By CasidraCEEDEERead more...

FROM THE CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER’S DESK

The 2016/17 financial year started in the midst of the gripping drought that covers many parts of the province, and continues to place a burden on agriculture and food security in general. The drought experienced in most parts of the country has proven challenging for many producers, especially along the West Coast of the Western Cape. A support scheme instituted by the Western Cape Department of Agriculture (WCDoA) and further augmented with financial support from Agri Western Cape provided some...

2016-11-22By CasidraCEEDEERead more...

CASIDRA IN JAPAN FOR JICA KNOWLEDGE CO-CREATION PROGRAMME

CASIDRA IN JAPAN FOR JICA KNOWLEDGE CO-CREATION PROGRAMME Casidra was awarded a scholarship and was able to send its Senior Project Manager for Agriculture, Gerrit van Schalkwyk, to Japan earlier this year (from 11 January 2016 until 13 February 2016) to participate in the Knowledge Co-Creation Programme facilitated by the Japanese International Co-operation Agency (JICA). Van Schalkwyk was privileged to leave Cape Town on the 6th January 2016 to join other successful candidates in Johannesburg before departing for Japan....

2016-06-30By CasidraCEEDEERead more...

LAND REFORM ADVISORY DESK FACILITATES DONATION TO WITZENBERG PALS

LAND REFORM ADVISORY DESK FACILITATES DONATION TO WITZENBERG PALS The newly established LREAD recently facilitated a donation of R90 000 to the Witzenberg Partnership in Agri Land Solutions (PALS). This donation cements a working relationship between the Western Cape Department of Agriculture and PALS, and it is foreseen that the LREAD will play a pivotal role in facilitating and supporting this initiative. PALS is a unique initiative in the Western Cape Province. Farmers and agricultural businesses in the Witzenberg area...

2016-06-30By CasidraCEEDEERead more...

GREEN HARVEST PROJECT DEMONSTRATES GREAT POTENTIAL FOR SUCCESS

GREEN HARVEST PROJECT DEMONSTRATES GREAT POTENTIAL FOR SUCCESS Green Harvest is a successful project situated on the Kraaifontein Avon-De-Rust farm owned, by a retired farmer. The farm owner allocated a seven hectare piece of land, which he leases to Vulindlela May and his wife who are very keen farmers. This couple grew up on the farm and have an excellent agricultural background. Both of them are now the proud owners/beneficiaries of the Green Harvest project, which was established in...

2016-06-30By CasidraCEEDEERead more...

HIGH VEG ORGANICS CO-OP LTD

HIGH VEG ORGANICS CO-OP LTD The High Veg Organics Co-op Ltd project belongs to a group of five members (two males and three females) as beneficiaries. This is a two hectare vegetable farming project with seven tunnels located in Robertson (Cape Winelands District Municipality). The project has been farming with basil, mint, wild rocket, parsley, coriander and their hydroponic tunnels. The director of High Veg Organics Co-op Ltd project is a 49 year old lady, Elizabeth Kleynhans, who...

2016-06-30By CasidraCEEDEERead more...

CASIDRA DELIVERS SCHOOL FURNITURE ON TIME

CASIDRA DELIVERS SCHOOL FURNITURE ON TIME SanParks, together with the Department of Environmental Affairs’ Natural Resource Management Programme (NRMP) Unit, is developing furniture factories with the aim of providing school desks/furniture for Government Departments and SanPark facilities. As the implementation agent for the Eco-furniture Factory Programme, SanParks is expected to procure raw material for various factories. Casidra has been appointed to oversee the procurement of these raw materials. Two bids were advertised in order to procure kiln-dried sawmill timber...

2016-06-30By CasidraCEEDEERead more...

FARM WORKER DEVELOPMENT PROJECT UNLEASHES THE POTENTIAL OF BENEFICIARIES

FARM WORKER DEVELOPMENT PROJECT UNLEASHES THE POTENTIAL OF BENEFICIARIES The Farm Worker Development project is an initiative by the Western Cape Department of Agriculture (WCDoA). The Western Cape has approximately 142 000 farm workers and is home to almost a quarter of the farm workers in the country.Farm Workers and their family members are generally isolated from the mainstream social interaction and do not have regular access to life skills training and, in most cases, lack awareness of the...

2016-06-30By CasidraCEEDEERead more...

WESTERN CAPE SCHOOLS’ SUPPORT PROGRAMME

WESTERN CAPE SCHOOLS’ SUPPORT PROGRAMME The Western Cape Government (WCG), through the Western Cape Department of Local Government (WCDLG) successfully applied for the Jobs Fund for grant funding of R99 563 000 million. This is to implement the Western Cape Schools’ Support Programme in collaboration with the Western Cape Education Department (WCED). This programme is aimed at providing skills development to 9936 unemployed matriculants, between the ages 18 to 25 and employment opportunities to 2982. The project will run...

2016-06-30By CasidraCEEDEERead more...

THE CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER’S DESK

THE CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER’S DESK The last quarter of the financial year is normally full of activity with projects being finalised before the planting season draws to a close in autumn. This sometimes pose challenges with the procurement and supply of products due to many suppliers slowly returning to work after taking a break during the holiday period. This year, the process for suppliers to come into full production capacity was further aggravated by the gripping drought that posed...

2016-06-30By CasidraCEEDEERead more...

Draft AgriBEE sector codes – BEE Measurement

The Western Cape Department of Agriculture (WCDoA), through the UTA, has sought the services of an external service provider for BEE measurement and verification for select Comprehensive Assistance Support Programme (CASP) funding applicants. This data will enable the WCDoA to have a very good sense of how much “real” empowerment has taken place in these different projects that have previously been supported, or may be applying for support. The service provider will apply the stipulations of the new AgriBEE Sector...

2016-06-15By CasidraCEEDEERead more...

The Haarlem Honeybush Nursery

In 2014, the UTA was requested to assist a struggling Honeybush Tea nursery in the Haarlem area with a business plan. The purpose of the business plan was to help the nursery to request for funding for the re-establishment of its nursery as it was in a dilapidated state as can be seen below in Figure 1 below Figure 1: Haarlem Nursery before Honey bush is endemic to South Africa and only grows in specific areas...

2016-06-15By CasidraCEEDEERead more...

Projects completed in the last quarter

Mankapan Farm – Water Use License Application (WULA) Doringbay Abalone – Shareholder’s Verification ERF 2 – Borehole Assessment (Test) Dwarstrek Farm – Soil Potential Survey & Land Survey W.H Williams & Sons – Liquidity Assessment Kykoe Farm – Borehole Assessment (Test) Half Oak Farm – Shareholder’s Verification Agri-Jobs Fund – Jobs Fund Application Grant Master Plan – Business Plan Agri Parks Business Plans – Reviewing Business Plans M’hudi Farm – Soil Potential Survey Waveren Farm – Borehole Assessment &...

2016-06-15By CasidraCEEDEERead more...

Regional Office and Farms’ Year-end Celebrations

The saying goes “a picture is worth a thousand words” and the year-end photos prove that our staff at the Regional Office and Amalienstein, Waaikraal and Anhalt farms had fantastic year-end functions. Regional Office enjoyed their outing on the 15th December 2015 at the Tenpin Bowling alley in George with a competitive and teasing spirit amongst their staff, all three farm managers, as well as Head Office represented by our CEO, Michael Brinkhuis and Chief Operations Officer, Kobus Oosthuizen....

2016-02-19By CasidraCEEDEERead more...

RIVER STABILISATION WORKS

The latter half of 2015 (July until December) saw Casidra, an implementing agency for the Western Cape Department of Agriculture (WCDoA), channelling its capacity to manage the Disaster Management Programme in the Province on behalf of the WCDoA. Casidra’s role in the project was to act as the engineer to manage the contract administration using the General Conditions for Construction for Civil Works. The WCDoA’s resident engineer played a significant role in providing the necessary support on site. Thanks...

2016-02-19By CasidraCEEDEERead more...

AKKEDISBERG FARMING PROJECT

The Akkedisberg farming project is a Smallholder Wine Project located on the Raka Wine Estate outside Caledon. The project consists of 20 beneficiaries, the majority of whom are employed at the Raka Wine Estate, and is 100% black owned. The farming project is led by Mariette Moos as one of its directors. Moos has acquired solid knowledge in wine grapes’ production throughout her working experience in the wine producing industry. The aim of the project is to empower the...

2016-02-19By CasidraCEEDEERead more...

JUNIOR LANDCARE SCHOOL PROGRAMME AWARD LEARNERS

Casidra worked extremely well with the Western Department of Agriculture (WCDoA) to roll out the Junior LandCare (JLC) Programme, which is aimed at providing grade 6 school learners with practical and educational lessons and the opportunity to unleash their innovative skills. The educational lessons were in accordance with the CAPS curriculum and are currently running in the Cape Winelands District and other districts. LandCare donated two indigenous trees to each school in the JLC School Programme. An art competition...

2016-02-19By CasidraCEEDEERead more...

MPOWER PLASTICS ACHIEVES MILESTONE

MPower Plastics (Pty) Ltd made history when it walked away with the 1st prize of R100 000 under the “Best Job Creation” category at the Western Cape Premier’s Entrepreneurship Recognition Awards (PERA) at a Gala event held at the Cape Sun Hotel on 19 November 2015. This achievement followed after Casidra’s Business Advisor, Donovan Stevens, entered this innovative company into the PERA competition. “The entry process was definitely not a walk in the park, but it was a great...

2016-02-19By CasidraCEEDEERead more...

WESTERN CAPE’S TOP AGRICULTURAL EMPLOYEE ANNOUNCED

Alexious Shoko, from Piket-bo-berg, was crowned as the Western Cape’s Farm Worker of the Year for 2015 during the gala ceremony in November 2015 at the Nederburg Wine Estate in Paarl. Shoko is the assistant production manager at the Mouton’s Valley farm, where he has worked for the past seven years, and has been described as dedicated and a leader in his community. “It’s the most amazing feeling ever”, said Alex Shoko when describing his win. Shoko says he would...

2016-02-19By CasidraCEEDEERead more...

Western Cape Commemorates Word Food Day

World Food Day is an international annual event that is celebrated globally on the 16th October. The Western Cape Department of Agriculture, Casidra and various other organisations/companies joined hands and took the lead in the province to commemorate the day in the small rural town of Pella (next to Atlantis in the West Coast region) on the 23rd October 2015. Pella is one of the 15 development nodes in the Western Cape. The theme for 2015’s commemoration was “Social Protection...

2016-02-19By CasidraCEEDEERead more...

CEO’s DESK Jan 2016

Our 2015 year-end function drew the curtain on yet another fast-paced year, which brought about many new developments. The theme ‘A Night at the Derby’ added particular glamour to the closing of the year, which at times felt like a hectic horse race where jockeys and horses alike had to perform their ultimate best in order to complete the races they were in. On the 27th November 2015, Casidra’s staff reflected on a successful year and joined by their honoured...

2016-02-19By CasidraCEEDEERead more...

The UTA completed the following projects during the last quarter:

Brakkekloof – Business Plan Chamomile Farm – Environmental Control Officer – Monitor and Control Construction phase Farm Worker Competition Evaluation – Impact Study Pomposkloof – Soil Potential Survey West Cape Apples – Feasibility Study Imbaza Mussels – Viability Assessment Esperanza Feedlot – Legal Inputs Central High School – Borehole Assessment David Jephta Farm – Borehole Assessment Ericaville – Business Plan MacMillan Farm – Evaluating grazing carrying capacity Anyskop Farm – Asset Verification Khoi-Klaas – Verify strategic partner’s contribution Social...

2015-11-23By CasidraTHE UTARead more...

The newly established Land Reform Advisory Desk (LREAD) has a Project Manager

As from the 1st of November 2015, Wouter Kriel will be at the helm of the new LREAD as its Project Manager. Prior to this appointment, Wouter was a Stakeholder Relations and Land Reform Manager in the Western Cape Ministry of Agriculture, Economic Development and Tourism (now the Ministry of Economic Opportunities), where he was responsible for the management and co-ordination of the Minister’s Land Reform Strategies, and to develop relationships between government and the private sector stakeholders with specific...

2015-11-23By CasidraCEEDEERead more...

UTA Success Story Thokozani Ovation

In 2013, the UTA assisted Thokozani to develop a business plan and restructuring of the new company (Thokozani Staff Holdings) that had just obtained majority shareholding in the Diemersfontein Group. The UTA business plan enabled Thokozani Staff Holdings to obtain funding through the Agri BEE Fund. Furthermore, in 2015, the UTA continued the support for Thokozani Staff Holdings in their quest to update the business plan in respect of the following: Thokozani Staff Holdings (TSH) to become the...

2015-11-23By CasidraTHE UTARead more...

Blueberries

Blueberries are ranked as having one of the highest antioxidant capacities among all fruit (www.whfoods.org: 2015). Of the crops that can be grown in the Western Cape, blueberries fare among some of the least commonly grown, but probably of the most profitable whose growing conditions can be controlled under shade netting. They are a robust fruit that are as resilient in the different conditions as table grapes and can be safely shipped to any place in the world frozen, with...

2015-11-23By CasidraCEEDEERead more...

STUDENT’S GRATITUDE FOR EXPERIENTIAL TRAINING

Caryn Classen, a student at CPUT, who recently completed her six months’ experiential training at Casidra, expressed her gratitude as follows; “As a student, it is always good to put theory into practice. Therefore, as a third year Office Management and Technology student I had the opportunity to do just that. I had to complete my six months’ experiential training at a company to gain experience within what we call “the real world”, which as we know is the...

2015-10-13By CasidraCEEDEERead more...

HAARLEM TRANSFORMATION COMMITTEE UNLEASHES TRANSPLANT ATHLETE’S DREAM

Martinique du Preez (19), a transplant athlete from the Haarlem Community in the Southern Cape, received assistance from the Haarlem Transformation Committee (HTC) and Casidra towards his sports gear. This young man was one of 65 transplant athletes chosen to represent the South African Team at the Official World Transplant Games held in Mar del Plata, Argentina from 23-30 August 2015. Casidra manages the apple farm Anhalt and some years ago Casidra’s Management approved the HTC’s request...

2015-10-13By CasidraCEEDEERead more...

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FREEHEIM EGGS FARM SHOWS GROWTH POTENTIAL

Freeheim Eggs is a chicken layer farm situated at Friemersheim in the Southern Cape region owned by three previously disadvantaged beneficiaries (one woman and two men). The farm is about 1875m² in size and consists of approximately 550 chickens that produce 100 eggs per day. These beneficiaries identified the huge need for egg production on a small scale to sell eggs to the local community shops. They aspire to increase their supply once the demand for eggs is big...

2015-10-13By CasidraCEEDEERead more...

WCB REACHES GREATER HEIGHTS

WCB Boerdery is a table grape farm situated next to the small town of Saron in the Cape Winelands region was established in 2012 by Warren Bam as the sole beneficiary. The approximately 22 hectare farm had 13 hectares of table grapes newly cultivated at the beginning of 2013. Approximately 9 hectares of organic table grapes in production are leased from the farm owner. Bam is an experienced farmer and has been in this business for more...

2015-10-13By CasidraCEEDEERead more...

AFRICAN ROOTS WINE TRUST’S SECRET FOR SUCCESS

The African Roots Wine Trust is a wine farm situated in the heart of the Cape Winelands (Lynedoch in the Stellenbosch region). It is the home of the Seven Sisters Wines that has been trading for more than five years. The beneficiaries of the farm are seven sisters who all grew up in the small fishing village of Paternoster on the west coast. This wine farming project is led by Vivian Kleynhans, the middle sister, who demonstrated an entrepreneurial...

2015-10-13By CasidraCEEDEERead more...

MINISTERIAL ACTIVITIES: TOP WOMEN IN AGRICULTURE CROWNED

The Western Cape’s top female entrepreneurs in the agricultural sector were crowned during a prestigious event on the 19 August 2015 by Minister Alan Winde, Minister of Economic Opportunities. This competition is a partnership between the National Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries and the Provincial Departments of Agriculture. It is now in its 16th year and seeks to honour the sector’s leading women. When congratulating the winners, Minister Winde said, “It’s fitting that in Women’s...

2015-10-13By CasidraCEEDEERead more...

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CASIDRA MAINTAINS STATUS QUO WITH CLEAN AUDIT REPORT

Cape Agency for Sustainable Integrated Development in Rural Areas (Casidra) received its 26th unqualified audit to maintain a good standing financial and performance report status quo during the company’s Annual General Meeting held on 26 August 2015 at Head Office. Minister of Economic Opportunities, Alan Winde congratulated Casidra for what he described as maintaining its excellent status of good financial processes. “Casidra has a good track record and has good financial systems in place for which it is well known. You...

2015-10-13By CasidraCEEDEERead more...

MESSAGE FROM THE CEO’s DESK

Some new initiatives envisaged by the Western Cape government are now coming to fruition and are ready to be implemented. Amongst the most prominent is Project Khulisa. Project Khulisa is the concept through which the provincial government conducted an in-depth investigation of the areas and sectors, which need to be focused on, to bring about meaningful economic growth and job creation in the province. The ultimate aim is to grow the Western Cape economy. The outcome of the study...

2015-10-13By CasidraCEEDEERead more...

Hopefield and Cape Metro Business and Entrepreneurship Training

The Unit for Technical Assistance (UTA) was requested by the Western Cape Department of Agriculture (WCDoA) to appoint a Facilitator to conduct Business Management and Group Dynamics training for farmers in Hopefield and Cape Metro’s, Kraaifontein area. The aim for the Cape Metro training was to create a conducive environment under which all groups can work cohesively, as they are leasing farm portions from the same farmer. The group was constituted of 2 private companies and 1 cooperative. The...

2015-07-15By CasidraCEEDEERead more...

UTA Projects (requests) completed in the 1st quarter

Kliprivier Kleinboere Trust – Legal Opinion Matjiesrivier Dairy – Feasibility Study Howard Barend Honeybush – Resources Assessment Alternative Food Study in the Western- Cape – Special Request (Tender) Evaluation of the Food Security Programme – Special Request (Tender) Slangrivier Saambouboer – Financial Viability Study Hopefield Abattoir Group – Training (Special request) Ravensmead Farm – Suitability Study Metro Group – Training (Special request) Dwarsberg Farm – Resource Assessment Baviaanskloof Trust – Legal opinion Honeybush Tea Nursery – Business Plan Lilly...

2015-07-15By CasidraTHE UTARead more...

FAREWELL TO OUR BOARD MEMBER

Casidra bid farewell to one its long-serving Board members, Prof. Julian Smith on the 12th March 2015 at Laborie’s Harvest restaurant in Paarl. Prof. Smith started serving as a Board member way back in 2002. During this time, he served and provided his invaluable leadership expertise within various Board committees, and was the chairperson of the Remuneration Committee for numerous years until his resignation as a Board member in November 2014. In his farewell message, Advocate Gary Oliver, Chairperson...

2015-05-11By CasidraCEEDEERead more...

UNIT FOR TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE

Land Reform Evaluation Report for the Western Cape summarised below The Unit for Technical Assistance in Casidra was requested to conduct an evaluation of the Land Reform Programme in the Western Cape Province. The purpose of the evaluation was to determine the rate of success and based on a sample taken from 246 agricultural land reform projects supported by the Western Cape Department of Agriculture (WCDoA) from 1 April 2009 to 31 March 2013 through the Comprehensive Agricultural Support...

2015-05-11By CasidraCEEDEERead more...

Food Garden Competition Award for Southern Cape beneficiaries

In February 2015, the Western Cape Department of Agriculture (WCDOA), with assistance from Casidra, organised the Food Garden Competition in Karatara for the Southern Cape residents who are taking the lead in food security. The intention of this competition was to award those beneficiaries who carried the food garden initiative successfully after receiving support from the WCDoA. This follows after the WCDoA, along with other stakeholders, handed over food gardens to residents in the area in 2013. The residents...

2015-05-08By CasidraCEEDEERead more...

Western Cape Government establishes Land Reform Advisory Desk

The Minister of Economic Opportunities, Alan Winde, announced the newly-established Land Reform Advisory Desk (LREAD), based at Casidra's head office in Paarl (an implementing agency for the Western Cape Department of Agriculture), to expedite transformation in the province's agricultural sector. The LREAD’s vision is to address the inequitable distribution of land to accomplish integration of the rural areas into the mainstream economy of the Western Cape. Minister Winde said, "Speeding up land reform is one of my foremost priorities. The...

2015-05-08By CasidraCEEDEERead more...

Rural Nodal Development Co-operative and SMME Support Programme

Casidra has been successfully unleashing the potential of entrepreneurs who are dreaming big across the Province to change their lives through the Rural Nodal Development Co-operative and SMME Support Programme. This is a programme of the Department of Economic Development and Tourism, which was established to afford local businesses an opportunity to access low-cost finance to become self- sustainable. Businesses have an opportunity to apply for finance ranging from R0 to R100 000 through Casidra who, in turn, will manage...

2015-05-08By CasidraCEEDEERead more...

FIRST CLASS PROJECT IMPLEMENTATION

The Western Cape Department of Agriculture (WCDoA) and its implementing agency, Casidra, continue to roll out the Comprehensive Agricultural Support Programme (CASP) successfully to the poor communities within the Province. Since the inception of the CASP Programme more than 10 years ago, we have seen a rapid growth in terms of the number of farmers who have benefitted from CASP funding in the Western Cape. From January until March this year, the following projects were selected, and successfully implemented and...

2015-05-08By CasidraCEEDEERead more...

Jackalskraal receives new Chalets

Another great highlight was the unveiling of newly-built chalets for the Griqua’s Jackalskraal farm on Saturday, 28 March 2015. These chalets were made possible by Casidra’s efforts after sourcing funding from the National Lottery Board (NLB). Eventually, the NLB released this funding after extensive delays due to a lengthy process of heritage requirements. During the inception, Casidra identified an opportunity for the Kranshoek Griqua Community Trust (KGCT) to develop a cultural tourism project on the Jackalskraal community farm that...

2015-05-08By CasidraCEEDEERead more...

STONY POINT-OFFICIAL LAUNCH: FROM WHALING STATION TO ECO-CENTRE AND RESTAURANT

The community initiative project Stony Point Eco-Centre and restaurant (On-the-Edge) in Betty’s Bay was successfully launched on Friday, 10 April 2015. This project was funded by the National Department of Tourism as part of its Social Responsibility Programme, and implemented by Casidra. It is one of Casidra’s long-outstanding projects since the first Memorandum of Understanding was signed 10 years ago. The launch was well attended by high profile dignitaries, amongst whom were the National Tourism Minister Derek Hanekom; the...

2015-05-08By CasidraCEEDEERead more...

MESSAGE FROM CEO’S DESK

The 2015/16 Casidra year started off on a good note, but scurried along at a rapid pace. The onset of the New Year brought about the anticipation of starting the various initiatives that were devised at the close of the previous year. Amongst the most prominent was the newly crafted initiatives around Project Khulisa, which means ‘to grow’. This project is a Western Cape Provincial Government model that looks at means of growing the province’s economy and creating jobs. Alongside...

2015-05-08By CasidraCEEDEERead more...

The UTA completed the following projects during the last quarter:

Alona Fresh Produce – Financial Viability Assessment Agri Jobs Fund – Coordinating jobs fund application process Nuutbegin Farm –Viability Study Enaleni Farm – Strategic & Financial Viability Study McGregor Small Scale Farmers – EIA Opinion (Screening) KK Poultry – Borehole Assessment Lease Agreements- DPAC– Reviewing lease agreements and providing legal opinion

2015-04-23By CasidraTHE UTARead more...

New UTA Manager

As from the 1st of April 2015, Belvin Namoobe is the new UTA Project Manager. Prior to this appointment, Belvin was Casidra’s Business Advisor for the Cape Winelands, Overberg, and West Coast District areas under the Comprehensive Rural Development Programme (CRDP). He holds a BCom Economics and Finance, Bcom (Honours), and an MSc Agricultural Economics from the University of KwaZulu-Natal (Former University of Natal). Belvin has vast experience in business assistance to SMME enterprises, project plans and financing.

2015-04-23By CasidraTHE UTARead more...

Understanding Lease Agreements

What is a contract of lease? This is an agreement between a Lessor (usually the owner) and a Lessee (or tenant) which allows the tenant to enjoy the property in return for the payment of rent (Paralegal Advice, www.paralegaladvice.org.za, 2015). Understanding every clause contained in a lease is cardinal for you to know what the implications are for signing and what it will actually entail on your part. In as much as most leases have been standardised and would appear...

2015-04-23By CasidraCEEDEERead more...

Author - Casidra