Commercial success from humble start

Becoming a farmer didn’t simply fall into Willem Klaase’s lap. He and his wife, Martha, worked hard and took risks to get where they are today. He talked to Glenneis Kriel about this journey. Of all the things that Willem Klaase has learnt on his journey to becoming a successful livestock and potato farmer, the one that stands out is that we are all responsible for realising our own dreams. “People have helped me over the years, but there have also been setbacks and those who worked against me. Through all of this, I learnt that I am responsible for my own destiny. I can’t wait for other people or the government to realise my dreams,” he says. Today he has reaped the benefit of perseverance, and his family are majority shareholders in the Welbeloon Boerdery Trust which owns De La Rey farm near Aurora in the Sandveld. Willem had always wanted to farm. He and his wife, Martha, grew up in the Richtersveld, where their parents kept a few sheep on communal land. He remembers the response of his parents when the children in his family wanted puppies on the arrival of new litters of pups in the community. “They would say, ‘People choose animals, not the other way around’.” Willem says this principle has profoundly influenced his approach to farming. “There are many horror stories of farmers who neglect their animals. If you want to be a successful livestock producer, you need to see your animals every day. It is your responsibility to make sure they have enough food and water. If you can’t do this, downscale the unit to a more manageable size. You have chosen the animals, the animals haven’t chosen you.” By Glenneis Kriel