The 2025 edition of Agri’s Got Talent (AGT) ended on a high note with Patensie-born Jenedine Jantjies walking away as the winner, bringing pride to her small Eastern Cape community.
In a recent podcast interview with Food For Mzansi, Jantjies reflected on the moment her name was announced.
“It was a lot of mixed emotions for me. I was happy, I was thankful and felt very blessed. This is a dream come true for me.”
Born and raised in the tight-knit town of Patensie, where everyone knows each other by name, Jantjies described the support from her community as overwhelming.
“When I returned home after the competition, I really saw how my community supported me and how proud they are of me. It is a great feeling to see how your community stand behind you.”
Though she works as a babysitter for the children of agricultural workers, Jantjies admitted she once struggled to see herself as part of the agricultural sector.
“I didn’t feel like I was part of agriculture, but then I thought about it and realised it does make me part of the sector. Besides that, I love children. I am very proud of my work,” she said.
A platform for growth
For over a decade, Agri’s Got Talent has offered agricultural workers the chance to showcase their voices and share their stories. According to AGT project manager Thea van Zyl, the initiative is more than just a singing competition.
“AGT is a very, very special project and one of its kind in South Africa, where we are privileged to bring together a group of agri workers from different parts of the country, speaking different languages, different cultures – and then when we all get together, we just connect through music.”
Van Zyl explained that the impact of the programme stretches far beyond the stage.
“We don’t take the agri worker out of agriculture. We really try to equip them with tools and a mindset to go back to the farm or the packhouse and make them believe in themselves. The impact of that mindset on their families, their colleagues, and the bigger farming community is just amazing to see.”
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Why Jenedine stood out
When asked what set Jantjies apart, Van Zyl said it was more than just her golden voice.
“I think it’s definitely her kindness and her smile. She connected with everyone involved. You could just see she loves music – and even when she wasn’t practising her songs, I would hear her listening to music to relax.
“Jantjies also came with so much pride for Patensie and for the Eastern Cape, and that was amazing to see.”
Van Zyl noted that finalists are continuously evaluated during the training week, with their conduct and how they treat others counting toward their final mark.
“I could see she really wanted to learn. As serious as she is about her music, she was also serious about enjoying the moment and the people around her. That was good to see.”
Describing the final performance night, Van Zyl painted a vivid picture: “The atmosphere is electric because this year again everyone came with buses to see their friends, colleagues, and family members perform on stage. We always tell our finalists during training week: being part of that group means you’ve already won. The final evening is a celebration of the week and the wonderful talent in agriculture.”
For Jantjies, the victory marks not only a personal dream fulfilled but also a moment of pride for her community and the broader agricultural family she now feels deeply connected to.
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