The-Spartan-April-2020-Online (1)

The S PA R TA . C O . Z A

SPARTAN
April 2020

HAPPY
EASTER

From all of us
at Sparta!

Sparta Day 2020 update

Another successful Sparta Day during which
thousands were raised for Mama Sophia’s
Pathways. Thank you to everyone who joined us.
Save the date: Sparta Day 26 February 2021.

- page 8

02

STOP THE SPREAD OF COVID-19

Washing Hands Social Distancing

Wash your hands with soap and water Maintain at least a 2m distance
for at least 20 seconds. This helps kill between yourself and anyone
who is coughing or sneezing.
viruses that may be on your hands.

SACORONAVIRUS.CO.ZA

Message from our CEO

My dear Spartans our fellow compatriots who are homeless and/
or jobless. We hope and pray that our leaders
The Covid-19 pandemic has caught us all by will have the wisdom to carry us through the
surprise. It is indeed a metaphorical ‘black hardship endured by so many.
swan’ event – events that are characterised
by their extreme rarity, their severe and In times of uncertainty, trust is more important
widespread impact and the insistence of than ever. We as Spartans will continue to
some (with hindsight) that these events were produce good, safe and healthy meat to play
obvious. In years to come we will probably our part in the nourishment of our people. For
refer to life and work before Covid-19 and us to be trusted to do this, we must keep our
after. No doubt we have all been reflecting own house in order. Every Spartan must respect
on what really matters in life. What is more and be mindful of the safety of his or her fellow
important than life itself and good health? This employees. We must all be diligent in taking the
pandemic will change the way we work, shop, necessary safety precautions to protect our own
do business and travel for years to come, it will people within the Sparta family.
change buying patterns and create a different
social awareness. The consequences need We must let others around us experience the
not all be negative. In all challenges there are care that we have taken for their safety. There
opportunities. We trust that Sparta’s vision and should be no doubt that we have heeded the
commitment will take us to the summit again. call of our President and that we are committed
to flattening the curve by slowing the spread
It is very normal in these uncertain times to of the disease. In difficult times people do not
have fears and concerns. There is widespread remember what you say, they remember how
confusion and panic, we are concerned about you make them feel.
the safety of our loved ones, we have concerns
about our jobs and businesses, we fear for Estelle van Reenen, CEO

T H E S PA RTA N / April 2020 / 03

What to Celebrations
expect in the
next quarter Wedding bells!

10 April – Good Friday Congratulations to
13 April – Family Day Anngelene Meintjies and
27 April – Freedom Day Christopher Coetzer who
1 May – Workers’ Day tied the knot in March. We
16 June – Youth Day wish you a very happy life
together.
July – Festive July
Mr and Mrs Litabe
celebrated their union
on 7 December last year.
Congratulations to the
two of you!

New arrivals

Sbulelo Ntsalaze
welcomed a new

addition to his family,
a beautiful baby girl

who they named
Ababalwe Diphoko.

Mr MJ Mr MW New to the herd
Mathibe Mokoena
Marquard welcomes the following
Sparta’s new pen riders pen riders (from left to right): Nobejara
Pitso, Tsokolo Rasekhobo, Piet Tholo,
Tumelo Halahala and Kabelo Matobako.

Taaiboschbult welcomes Mr MJ Mathibe
and Mr MW Mokoena – we hope you
enjoy working at Sparta.

04

Sparta 2020 Like every year, the lucky draw
Kick-Start Function was eagerly awaited, and this year
the following lucky staff members
Sparta’s annual Kick-Start Function, which was walked away with R5 000 each:
held at Salt & Pepper restaurant in Welkom,
was an opportunity for staff to just sit back and TG Tshabalala TP Thakeli
relax after a busy December. This was also VS Qoma D BEWU
an opportunity for management to reward JM Mahloko MP Matsoso
employees with a 100% attendance rate over DS Mantje TT Masita
the festive season. MM Mokhethi SP Msimanga
TE Rapuleng

Congratulations to these
lucky recipients of R5 000
each in our lucky draw.

Ntate Alfred Tau celebrated
his 20th year at Sparta. Here
he is pictured with Niel Venter
and CEO Estelle van Reenen.
Congratulations Ntate Tau!

T H E S PA RTA N / April 2020 / 05
We would like to thank every Spartan for
their dedication, sacrifice and hard work

during the hectic holiday season.

I Sparta!

Gerrit Cronje, Fulu Mphaphuli and
Tshegofatso Marumola enjoying

themselves at the Kick-Start Function.

This year staff took on
the challenge to show
their prowess on the

mechanical bull.

06

Sparta 2020 Next on the podium was Ansa Lange, a
Conference functional therapist from Bloemfontein
and an expert in what drives our
Sparta’s Conference took place at the Aldam thought patterns, emotions and physical
Holiday Resort & Conference Centre outside symptoms, followed by Zanelle Blignaut,
Ventersburg in January. This year’s theme was an occupational therapist who runs her
‘Future Fit’ with the emphasis on the steps own practice at Mediclinic in Welkom.
Sparta has taken to become future fit, as well
as areas identified in the business where we The conference ended on a high note
can improve on our adaptability. with a keynote talk by Joey Evans,
sportsman, adventurer and motivational
The conference was opened by board speaker, as he recounts his journey from
Chairman Lou van Reenen, followed by a paraplegic to 2017 Dakar Rally finisher
riveting industry overview by our CEO, Estelle as told in his book, From Para to Dakar.
van Reenen. Dr John Purchase, CEO of the After sustaining serious injuries, crushing
Agricultural Business Chamber who was his spinal cord and leaving him paralysed
honoured by the French Government for his from the chest down, and following 10
services to Agriculture and Agribusiness, years of rehabilitation, tough challenges,
gave an overview of import and export trends, successes and lessons learnt, Joey
protein statistics worldwide and how it would fulfilled a life-long dream by lining up as a
impact on South Africa. competitor at the start of the Dakar Rally
in Asunción, Paraguay.
Dr John Ansa
Purchase Lange

Zanelle Joey
Blignaut Evans

T H E S PA RTA N / April 2020 / 07

Monalisa This year there were seven nominees
Molutsi, in the running for the coveted title of
Spartan of the Year 2020, but there could
Spartan of only be one winner, and the top honours
the Year went to Monalisa Molutsi, or Mona as
2020 she is affectionately known. Mona has
consistently excelled at her job and in her
Friday night was party time interactions with her colleagues and truly
with staff dressing up in 1980s embodies what it means to be a Spartan.
fashion and luminescent lighting
wrapping the venue in an ‘80s
Glow’, the theme of the event.

Delegates were joined by their families This year’s Sparta
on Saturday for the Mystery Braai Conference was an
Competition. They were divided into interactive one. Even
teams with each team randomly being though load shedding briefly
allocated a cut of beef to prepare. The interrupted the proceedings,
brief for the competition was to hero the Spartans took it in their
cut of beef you’ve been dealt, which stride and showed what a
was easy doing with quality Sparta resilient team we are.
beef;-) This competition has always been
taken very seriously as the winning
team has ‘bragging rights’ until the next
competition. Congratulations to the
top two teams, Rustic Simplicity
and Aka-ushi!

Mystery Braai Team FUTURE
– Marquard FIT

Mystery Braai Team SPARTA 2020
– Finance CONFERENCE

08 SPARTA
DAY
Moo’vers
& shakers 2020

Sparta Day. Saturday, 29 February
Where fun and charity meat. Marquard, Free State

Mama Sophia’s Pathways, a non-profit FISHING FUN WALK
organisation in Marquard established
by the late Sophia Makoetla in 2014, is Cost: R120/adult Cost: 5km – R30/person
a care centre for individuals with a range R80/child under 12 10km – R50/person
of disabilities. These disabilities include
cerebral palsy, autism, down syndrome, Place: Karibi Dam, Sparta Farm Place: Rietfontein Farm
coupled with partial blindness and/or Time: 5km – 08:00
hearing loss. Format: Two rods/person
10km – 07:30
Mama Sophia’s offers these individuals Time: Cast-in – 06:00 Each participant will receive a medal.
what they need to be able to live Weigh-in – 14:00 The top 3 in each section will receive
their lives as best they can, which a hamper.
are a structured environment with No unaccompanied children under 12. Enquiries: Charlotte van der Watt,
a predictable routine, stimulating [email protected] / 082 557 6357
programmes, teaching them alternative Enquiries: Barend Boshoff,
ways of communicating, skills training [email protected] / 082 886 4969 POLO
and, most of all, plenty of love and care.
CYCLING Come and join us for polo matches –
The Sparta Angus dinner was one for you don’t want to miss this! Beer and
the books with popular Bloem-based Cost: 5km – R70/person bubbly for sale at the Polo Club.
blues band Shared Address providing 30km – R120/person Place: Sparta Polo Club
the entertainment. 57km – R140/person Time: 11:00
Enquiries: Abby Schoeman,
Place: Rietfontein Farm [email protected] / 082 376 8380

Time: 5km – 07:30
30km – 07:15
57km – 07:00

Check-in time is 30 min before
the start of each race. Water
points provided.

Enquiries: Charlotte van der Watt,
[email protected] / 082 557 6357

In aid of Mama Sophia’s Pathways Marquard
– supporting individuals living with disabilities.

Entertainment by
Shared Address

T H E S PA RTA N / April 2020 / 09

Without our valued sponsors none of
this would be possible, and for that we
are extremely grateful. A special thank
you to the following VIP sponsors for
their generous contributions:

• Betty van Reenen
• MSD – R83 000
• SPAR – R60 000
• Zoetis – R50 000
• Hestony – R50 000
• Jarvis – R40 000
• FNB – R30 000

Betty
van Reenen

Photo credit: Stephen Naudé

A big thank you to our
other valued sponsors too!

Encore Chemunique
Diesel Electric Auriga Trust
Phibro Lombard Insurance
African Sky Exports Limecrop
ADD-X Trading Cipla
Fritz van Zyl Farmix
Encore Sopura
Marel Freddy Hirsch
Tradepak Bester Voer & Graan
Janka JVD Commodities
Grains for Africa Italia Engineering
Tactical Edge Ficksburg Toyota
Allem Brothers WesBank Corporate
Ascendis SDG Agencies
Navistar CEVA
MPACT Magnum Spring
Grainvest Pridepak
Boehringer Mr Bill Doyle
Ingelheim Fulu Mphaphuli
Marais & Crowther Brian Hoogstad
ELT Marco Torsius

10 Polo winners

Prizes were sponsored by:

SPAR Western Cape Freddy Hirsch
(Bennie Nothnagel) Encore
Crown National
Allflex Workwear Depot
L&K Computers Kloppers
Momentum L&K Embroidery
Cheetahs Nutech
Gas Boys

We also thank the following suppliers without whom
the evening would not have been possible: ENVIE,
Ola, Sonique and Lulu van Rooyen from Oppistoep.

Thank you to everyone
who joined us. Save the date:

26 February 2021.

Mama Sophia’s teachers Mama Sophia’s 2018
Mama Sophia’s 2016

T H E S PA RTA N / April 2020 / 11

Focus: Wanderlust Sparta sent their A team to network at
the Gulfood trade exhibition in Dubai.
Gulfood: 16 - 20 Feb 2020

Gulfood, the world’s largest annual food and
beverage trade exhibition, celebrated its
25th edition this year. The exhibition attracted
thousands of visitors and professionals from
the food and beverage industry worldwide to
Dubai. Seminars were conducted for newly
established businesses to gain knowledge from
professionals and train under them and visitors
got to enjoy and learn about a wide variety of
cuisines from different parts of the world.

Sparta General Manager Niel Venter, Sales
Manager Andre Pretorius and Export Sales
Executive Chris du Plessis represented
Sparta at our first-ever exhibition at the event,
with Brian and Megan Angus popping in to
lend their moral support. Sparta is going from
strength to strength and was very excited to be
a part of the South African delegation. We are
looking forward to very exciting times ahead!

Our partners Megan and
Brian Angus visited the
Sparta stand.

12

Sponsorships

As a proud supporter of the
Toyota Free State Cheetahs since 2016, it is with
some sadness that we bid them farewell after it
was announced that Sparta will no longer be one of
the team’s main sleeve sponsors. It was not an easy
decision, but one made in light of a new chapter for
Sparta in terms of advertising opportunities.
As a proudly Free State company, Sparta Beef will
continue to be a staunch supporter of the Toyota
Cheetahs and will remain involved with and maintain
our relations with the team. We thank the Cheetahs
staff, players and coaches for a great relationship
over the past four years. We wish the team good luck
with the remaining matches of the Guinness PRO 14
tournament – we know you will make us proud!

T H E S PA RTA N / April 2020 / 13

Bragging rights

Woman of Stature
Awards 2020

Congratulations to our very own Megan
Angus who was declared the winner in the
Woman in Agriculture category at the sixth
annual Woman of Stature Awards, which was
held in Fourways, Johannesburg in March.

The awards acknowledge South African
nation builders and trailblazers in disciplines

such as Education, Media, Finance,
Healthcare, Sport and Agriculture who are
making a huge impact in their respective

communities or industries.

Bragging rights

The Butcher Shop & Grill collaboration

A MATCH MADE IN CULINARY HEAVEN

The Butcher Shop & Grill Sparta

For over 20 years, our unmatchable steakhouse We at Sparta beef pride ourselves
has been as much a part of SA culture as in the quality beef we produce.

sunshine, red wine and red meat. You could say We are a family-owned and operated
it is a landmark on the culinary landscape (and business who can trace our agricultural
we’re now in Cape Town and the Middle East).
roots back more than a century.
But The Butcher Shop is also about family
– and the laughter, memories and conversations We have always lived close to the land,
shared with special people over great food at a and it’s this love of our land and our cattle

top steakhouse. that inspires us to produce great beef.

Our family business, handed down over
three generations, is famed for its quality
produce, extensive menu, separate butchery
and deli and 800 passionate staff globally.

Pop into The Butcher Shop & Grill for
great Sparta and Sparta Angus steak.

14

Our Spartans

A team from Royal Canin visited our new
Rendering plant to conduct an audit, which we
passed with flying colours. Exciting times ahead!

Who wore it best?

Marquard’s canteen team always
manages to put a smile on our
faces, making Christmas time
a little more festive.

Sparta Angus dominated
in-flight magazines

with ads appearing in
Sawubona, Mango Juice

as well as Khuluma.

THE SPARTAN / April 2020 / 15

Miniature Spartans Lumi van
Rooyen, and
There was great excitement when siblings Luca
the Currie Cup trophy made its way to and Stella van

Sparta Marquard. Lumi van Rooyen Rooyen
and Lynette van Rooyen’s children,
Christili and
Luca and Stella, loved having the Meia Cronje
champions in their home town. Eben Etzebeth
with adoring
Christili and Meia Cronje popped into fan Vhuhosi
Sparta Welkom for a bit of fun with dad Mphaphuli

Gerrit Cronje.
Fulu Mphaphuli’s boys were in awe
of all the goings-on on the Sparta farm

in Marquard. These two jetsetters
were also lucky enough to meet Eben
Etzebeth during their holiday at Sun City.
Seen with the Springbok rugby giant is

Vhuhosi Mphaphuli. Go Bokke!

Fulu Mphaphuli’s children

Sports at Sparta

Sparta has many sportsmen and
sportswomen across our branches and

they all make us proud, but a special
shout out to the Wholesale soccer
team who has been participating
in tournaments within the
Matjhabeng district. Go get ’em!

Show me
the funny!