Senwes Scenario December 2016 / January 2017 | Page 14

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IN T H E SP OTLI GH T

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U ys

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holds the fort
WHEN YOU APPROACH
THE DE ERF FARMHOUSE
OF SENWES PRODUCER
UYS VAN HEERDEN, YOU
ARE GREETED BY BEN,
THE GERMAN SHEPHERD,
AND THE BARKING OF
THE JACK RUSSELS
CHARLIE, JACKIE AND
LALA BEFORE UYS
MAKES HIS APPEARANCE.
AUBREY KRUGER

MEET UYS VAN HEERDEN
The 56-year old Uys has been
married to Maranda for 33
years, since 17 December 1983.
Uys holds the fort and describes
Maranda as the farm general. She
is very serious about neatness in
and around the stores and in her
beautiful garden which surrounds
the house. Sounds like to typical
Afrikaans household to me...

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FATHER-IN-LAW BOB, A ROLE MODEL
Where did his farming operations
start? Uys says that he learned
everything about farming from
his father-in-law, Bob Moolman.
It started almost 30 years ago in
1987, directly after two years in
the defence force at Oudtshoorn,
a B.Sc.degree at Kovsies, a
year’s HOD and two years as a
mathematics teacher at Welkom
Gimnasium and Wessel Maree
High School in Odendaalsrus.
At the time Uys had his own
farm, Kleinbegin - a piece of land
of 428 hectares near Theunissen.
He also started farming with Bob
on the farm De Erf.
EIGHT YEARS WITH
FATHER-IN-LAW BOB
Uys farmed with Bob from 1987
until 1994, before Bob passed
away. He regards these years as
invaluable and he learned a lot
from Bob about planning and
financial management. “He
helped me a lot and I developed
my love for cattle from him.”
He even learned his motto from

DEC 2016/JAN 2017 • SENWES Scenario

Bob, which is optimal utilisation,
whether in respect of resources,
crop farming or cattle. Everything
has to be managed in an optimal
manner.
SUPPORT MEANS A LOT TO HIM
Being a general on this farm, his
wife Maranda supports him a lot.
“When I am discouraged, she is
always there.” Uys has 30 skilled
workers on his farm. He receives
a lot of support from his two
farm managers Nico Taljard, who
manages the cattle component
and Daantjie Rossouw, the general
farm manager.
WAITING FOR A SUCCESSOR
Uys and Maranda have two
daughters, Mar-Lee (31), who
is an auditor and Marike (22),
who is a B.Acc. (Hons) student
at Kovsies. He has one son-in-law
so far, who is a medical doctor
and Uys will have to wait for the
grandsons to take over the farming
operations. However, he is full of
spirit and has the patience to wait
for his grandsons Renier Uys and