Leadership is not just for managers. That was the key message delivered to farmworkers at this year’s Koue Bokkeveld Training Centre leaders’ day programme.
In partnership with CropLife SA and Food For Mzansi, the Koue Bokkeveld Training Centre brought together farmworkers for a day of reflection, learning, and leadership growth.
Since 1981, this private institution has been equipping farmworkers, leaders, and rural communities with the tools they need to grow, not just professionally but personally.
CEO Carmen Roberts explained that the core mission of their work is to regulate, coordinate, and facilitate training for farmworkers and producers.
“We’re also their skills development facilitator (SDF), which means we help identify learning needs and connect them to relevant training.
“The centre offers a wide range of accredited qualifications, skills programmes and short workshops. These span from technical upskilling to community development initiatives, touching the lives of both men and women in the farming sector,” she said.
Roberts said the leaders’ day programme is a standout initiative held annually on the last Wednesday of June.
“It’s a special moment before we break for the holidays. We bring together workplace leaders, community voices, and women spokespersons. Anyone in a leadership role to reflect, learn, and reconnect.”
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Stronger teams, stronger outcomes
The event featured a keynote address by Irvan Kinnes, associate professor of criminology at the University of Cape Town, who challenged attendees to rethink what it truly means to lead.
“Leading others is a privilege, not a right. The best leaders are not those who command from a distance, but those who are attentive, who step in where necessary, and who understand that leadership is about lifting others up,” said Kinnes.
His talk focused on dismantling power imbalances, building stronger teams, and encouraging personal and professional growth through conscious, compassionate leadership.
Drawing on years of academic and real-world experience, Kinnes emphasised that successful teams are at the heart of successful projects.
He shared lessons learned along the way, drawing from personal stories and past experiences, and encouraged workers to reflect on how they treat others and to build workplace cultures rooted in kindness and respect.
Kinnes also encouraged the group to invest in themselves and set goals. Personal growth, he explained, is foundational to leading others. Whether it’s through learning new skills, setting small daily goals, or simply believing in your potential, every step forward matters.
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Pesticides & workplace safety
During an in-depth session, Hiresh Ramanand, stewardship specialist, spoke about workplace safety practices, particularly concerning pesticide use.
Speaking about the risks associated with pesticide use, Ramanand stressed that personal protective equipment (PPE) is not just a legal requirement but a life-saving measure. “Your employer must give you working equipment and PPE, that’s your right. But it’s your responsibility to use it properly and to maintain it.”
He warned workers not to let training go to waste. “Too often, people know the right thing to do, but they don’t do it. That’s when problems arise.”
Beyond the workplace, Ramanand urged farmworkers to think of their families. “If you don’t decontaminate after spraying, if you come home with pesticide residue on your clothes, you could be putting your children and loved ones at serious risk.”
Ramanand also warned against reusing empty pesticide containers for water or food storage, wrapping up his session with a live PPE demonstration, showing how to properly put on and remove protective gear.
Each farmworker also received a PPE kit, sponsored by Bayer South Africa.
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