Charl (Tippie) du Toit acquired the farm ‘De Keur’ in the Koue Bokkeveld for £9600.00 on March 28th 1934 at a public auction. The transaction was sealed under the beautiful old oak trees that can still be seen on the farm today.

Tippie du Toit was a man that believed in good farming practices, respect for all living things, honesty, fairness and dignity to all men. This is the legacy that he has left his two sons, Charl (joined the business in 1967) and Gys (joined the business in 1972).

Charl and Gys embraced the business and in 1973 bought Leeuwrivier, and Rocklands in 1981 as additional production units. Both these estates are also situated in the Koue Bokkeveld. In 2008 they bought the farms Môreson and De Hoop in the Wolseley area.

The product lines were extensively developed and today a variety of fruit (apples, pears, nectarines and peaches) and vegetables (onions) are produced.

A fruit packing facility in Ceres was also purchased in 2001 in order to extend the business’s presence across the supply chain. This facility currently packs all of De Keur Estate’s fruit, as well as offering contract packing options to other local producers. There are also a packing facility on Rocklands where all of De Keur’s onions are packed and processed for the respective markets.

In recent years a number of the ‘next generation’ has joined the business fulfilling a number of key roles from general management, production, and marketing to packaging and administration. This generation is proud to be associated with the De Keur legacy that their grandfather Tippie began in 1934, and they look forward to nurturing the legacy for generations to come.

De Keur is devoted to the optimum development of human capital and investment in social sustainability. We respect, care, grow, learn & live.

The De Keur code of ethics states:

• no discriminatory practices in regards to race, sex, sexuality, Marital status, family responsibility, ethnical or social background, colour, age, disability, religion, HIV status, belief, political orientation, culture, language or birth;
• fair and just promotion opportunities; and,
• striving towards a workforce representative of the geographical composition of the region with reference to ethical Africans, Coloured people, Indians, women and disabled individuals. The employer is also committed to appointing the most suitable candidate for the relevant vacancy.

At De Keur we have a proud heritage of looking after our employees, which is a wonderful tradition that our grandfather Tippie started by treasuring his relationship with all of his employees. De Keur provides a number of social services and benefits for its employees and their families, including:

Training and development:

De Keur offers up to date training in conjunction with the Koue Bokkeveld Training Centre located at Op-die-Berg. The Training Centre offers employees a range of relevant courses that address the development and work needs of all levels of workers, as well as comply with the Act regarding Skills Development and the Act for Equal Opportunities. The training centre also provides recreational tours and sporting activities for employees and their children.

De Keur Estate (Pty) Ltd has a scholarship plan in place for the children of employees who wish to further their studies at university. Perhaps our proudest export in this regard is Breyton Paulse, one of the most-loved South African rugby players who played 64 matches for the Springboks and grew up on the original De Keur estate.

Child care facilities:

De Keur has registered pre-school facilities on De Keur and Rocklands where children from 3 months to 5 years are cared for on a daily basis. An after-school care programme has also been started in 2012 to nurture young minds from Grade R through to Grade 7.

Sport and Recreation:

Sport and recreation play an important part in the social lives of those living in the farming community. Various teams are sponsored from each production unit to participate in the local football, rugby, netball and cricket leagues. We also support cultural events and one of the De Keur choirs was recently regional finalists in the choir competition. Workers and families make use of subsidized transport to attend sport and cultural events.

Clinic:

On-site clinics make it possible for employees to be treated at the work place. A qualified nurse will ensure that the best treatment is provided. A doctor also visits the farm weekly to treat referred patients.

Accommodation:

De Keur provides housing facilities to employees with relevant basic services included, i.e. water and electricity.

Transport:

Transport is provided to employees for work related events and functions as well as sporting activities