A standing ovation, tears, and thunderous applause. That’s how Shannon Robertson was celebrated after being announced as the 2025 Western Cape Prestige Agri Awards overall winner at the gala held last night at Eureka Estate in Durbanville, Western Cape.
Robertson, the assistant livestock manager at Boschendal near Franschhoek, was crowned the best of the best at a glittering gala hosted by the Western Cape department of agriculture. Her win marked the culmination of a journey that started months ago with over 1 393 entries from every corner of the province – a record-breaking show of pride and excellence in the sector.
“This award is a blessing,” said Robertson. “It shows that women have a place in agriculture and can lead with confidence, faith, and determination. My hope is that other young women see this and know that they too can make a difference in this sector.”
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From the vineyard to the packhouse
The Prestige Agri Awards is far more than just a competition. It has become an annual celebration of the everyday heroes who make the Western Cape’s agricultural economy tick.
What began in 2002 as a small Farmworker of the Year contest in the Hex Valley has grown into one of the most respected recognition platforms in South African agriculture. This year’s record number of participants, up 150 from 2024, reflects the sector’s growing inclusivity and its shared pride in being part of something bigger.
Western Cape minister of agriculture, economic development and tourism, Dr Ivan Meyer, called agricultural workers “the heartbeat” of the province’s economy.
“Their commitment sustains food security, supports our economy and builds resilient rural communities,” he said. “Through the Prestige Agri Awards, we honour these hardworking men and women whose contributions ensure that the Western Cape continues to grow, innovate and feed the nation.”
Meet the 2025 champions
The competition honours excellence across eleven categories – from the general worker to middle management – recognising the full spectrum of skill that keeps farms, packhouses, and agribusinesses running.
Here are this year’s winners:
- General worker: Buron Kleynhans
- Driver: Selton Johnson
- Irrigation specialist: Kerneels Oncker
- Animal production: Ashley Bottom
- Technical operator: Kaylin Samson
- Social development: Clarissa Saroon
- Agri-processing: Jacqueline Lukas
- Administrative personnel: Xongile Masungwini
- Foreman/woman: Ngonidzashe Nyaunga
- Junior management: Lugelo Ntamane
- Middle management: Jacobus van der Linden
- Best potential: Jacqueline Lukas
- Overall winner: Shannon Robertson
Investing in people, powering the future
Since 2004, the Western Cape department of agriculture’s farmworker development programme has been changing lives through training, career growth, and recognition. It’s part of the province’s Growth for Jobs strategy: a bold plan to help businesses grow and create work opportunities while equipping residents with the skills to thrive.
The 2025 awards wouldn’t have been possible without sponsors who collectively contributed nearly R1.1 million, proving that partnerships can power real transformation and pride across the agricultural value chain.
As the applause faded and winners embraced one another under the Elsenburg lights, one message rang clear: the Western Cape’s agri workers aren’t just employees. They’re innovators, leaders, and the hands that keep South Africa fed.
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