2017-12-05Staff Report 2 Staff Reporter Windhoek-Organised agriculture in Namibia last Friday bid farewell to an industry stalwart when the executive manager of the Namibian Agricultural Union, Sakkie Coetzee, officially retired after 15 years of dedicated service. Coetzee will be remembered as a leader who spoke out when he had to, as during his many consultations with government on sensitive issues, like land reform and land tax. He passionately cared for the safety and well-being of every farmer in the country. Coetzee’s other big contribution to agriculture was to keep communication doors open and opening new ones with government for farmers to be heard. “It is with gratitude and a bit of woe that I say goodbye after fifteen years of service at the NAU. My daily prayer was to get wisdom, understanding and energy to do the work and all the honour to our Heavenly Father,” he notes. Coetzee says the past 15 years represented very special times in his career. “These years were enriched by the people with whom and under whom I worked. Each NAU member, farmers’ association and Regional Agricultural Union management, executive council and presidents, as well as other role players helped me to not only serve the NAU, but also the agricultural sector. “To each one with whom I came into contact, either personally or even through printed and electronic media or radio, a big thank you,” he said, adding that he was confident the NAU would go from strength to strength under the energetic leadership of newly appointed executive manager Roelie Venter and NAU president Ryno van der Merwe. He also wished every farmer a wet Christmas and a prosperous 2018. 2017-12-05Staff Report 2
