From the orchards to the stage! Agri’s Got Talent (AGT) is back, calling on farmworkers across South Africa to let their voices be heard – this time, in song. As entries roll in for the 2025 season, past contestants are reflecting on how AGT brought them together across regions, languages, and genres.
Each year, AGT invites workers from the fruit, wine, and citrus industries to step forward and share their voices. But more than a singing competition, it’s a journey of self-discovery, friendship, and pride.
Sandile Mathebula, who was a finalist in 2024 while working at KMI Farming in Nelspruit, Mpumalanga, says he realised that he didn’t choose classical music, it chose him.
Opening doors and hearts
“I thought the competition was only for pop singers, until I saw Ayabonga (AGT’s first ever winner in 2014) perform during the AGT reunion tour. From there, doors opened – from my first flight to Cape Town to being welcomed with true hospitality,” Mathebula shares.
AGT, to him, is like a parent who loves unconditionally but also pushes one to grow.
Other former contestants from the Western Cape agree.
For Bradwin Jonas from Rietfontein in Ceres, who entered in 2020, AGT changed how he saw his art. “Rap was just a hobby. I entered not expecting anything, but AGT made me feel seen. Frieda van den Heever boosted my confidence and my craft. You don’t have to win to gain from AGT. You become an ambassador for agriculture and music,” Jonas says.
For Magdalene Philander, from Nonna in Worcester, joining AGT in 2019 was a leap outside her comfort zone. “I was so shy, but we all felt at home. We connected deeply. People from different places and cultures. AGT is about people and letting them shine,” says Philander.
Armando Baartman, an irrigation supervisor from Saratoga in Robertson, sings R&B and soul. He remembers the 2023 Reunion Show in Paarl as a defining moment.
He says, “It was amazing to share the stage with so many genres and stories. AGT helps artists pursue their dreams. Don’t let your circumstances define your limits.”
How to enter AGT
To enter, send a voice note (max 3 minutes) via WhatsApp to 082 372 1557 or email your recording to info@agrisgottalent.com with the following:
- Full name
- Date of birth
- Your cell number
- Name of your farm/cellar/packhouse
- Job description
- How long have you worked there?
- Nearest town
- Supervisor’s name and cell number
- Where did you hear about AGT?
For more info, follow Agri’s Got Talent on Facebook or visit www.agrisgottalent.com.
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