The annual Senwes R1 million draw was cause for great joy, not only for the five clients who each had a portion of R1 million written off against their summer production credit accounts, but also for the five charities nominated by every finalist, who received a donation of R60 000 each. During the event, held on 6 June at the Rio Casino in Klerksdorp, each finalist (who has taken up credit with Senwes Credit for the 2012/2013 summer production season) was given the opportunity to draw a number that determined the sequence in which the envelopes, announcing the value of each individual prize, were to be drawn. The results of the draw were as follows:

R500 000  – Martin Janse van Rensburg of Derby
R250 000  – Thomas Grobbelaar of Theunissen
R125 000  – Gert Stols of Bothaville
R75 000 – Hannes Myburgh of Theunissen
R50 000 – Willie du Preez of Hennenman

The charities which each received a R60 000 donation are Meals on Wheels Community Services, the Ladies Circle of Theunissen, Hoërskool Theunissen’s Land Service Movement, Janie Schneider School in Klerksdorp and Rooi Deur in Rustenburg. “Client service is a primary focus for Senwes and it is very important to us to give back to the community in which we do business. The R1 million draw is well-aligned to Senwes’ strategy to be a sustainable agribusiness, but also to reinvest the advantage that we gain from the rural community, by ploughing back into that very community,” Francois Strydom, Managing Director of Senwes, said during the event.

Dana Janse van Rensburg, Martin’s father, who attended the draw on his son’s behalf, thanked Senwes for the way in which they give back to the community and their clients and said that there are very few organisations that help young farmers to establish and sustain a successful farming operation by extending them production credit. The R1 million draw competition in its entirety is overseen by Senwes’ external auditors, Ernst & Young. The competition was this year presented for the sixth year by Senwes Credit, Senwes Village and Senwes Grainlink.