The De Wet tradition of sowing back into the land spills over to our workforce. As such we have initiated numerous sustainable community upliftment projects.
"We need our employees as much as they need us." – Freddie de Wet
The de
Wet tradition of sowing back into the land spills over to our relationship with
our workforce. We have initiated numerous sustainable community projects: - Excelsior
has established a crèche for children within our community. At the moment there
are 20 children attending the crèche and they are looked after by two full time
teachers paid for by Excelsior. The emphasis is on early childhood development.
We believe that education is fundamental and the aim of the crèche is to ensure
that children get a good start before going to school.
•Excelsior initiated and part financed a computer
room at the departmental preparatory school, adjacent to the estate. The school
has 7 classrooms with approximately 30 children per class.
- Excelsior employs two remedial teachers at
the departmental preparatory school and two local woman to supervise studying
and homework in the afternoons.
- Excelsior
employees are housed on the farm with two new houses built annually. Some employees
have chosen to use the land around their houses to establish kitchen vegetable
gardens.
- Excelsior
maintains a rugby field and has built a hall for functions. We are very proud
to be home to "The Evergreens" rugby team, which at 100 years old is one
of the oldest rural clubs in South Africa.
- "Hendrik's Honey" is a BEE project
run by Hendrik Fuller, a former Excelsior employee. He has established a series
of beehives on Excelsior to produce delicious honey. Excelsior assisted with
the set up costs and continues to assist with sales.
- Excelsior employees are given pastures, irrigated
and maintained by Excelsior, on which to run their cattle providing them with
an extra source of income.
- Excelsior employees are invited run their own
stall on the farm during the "Wacky Wine Weekend".
- Excelsior assists employees with transport to
Robertson on Saturday for shopping, as well as transport to clinics, church
meetings and hospitals.
- Excelsior
provides 2hectares of irrigated land for employees to grow vegetables.
Excelsior Wine Estate