Sentraal-Suid Koöperasie (SSK) is an
agricultural cooperative
An agricultural cooperative, also known as a farmers' co-op, is a cooperative in which farmers pool their resources in certain areas of activity.
A broad typology of agricultural cooperatives distinguishes between agricultural service cooperati ...
founded in 1931 by farmers in the
Overberg region of
South Africa. Originally known as the Swellendam-Heidelberg Koöperasie, the name was changed to its current form in the 1980s. The head office of SSK is situated in
Swellendam, the third oldest town of the
Republic of South Africa
South Africa, officially the Republic of South Africa (RSA), is the southernmost country in Africa. It is bounded to the south by of coastline that stretch along the South Atlantic and Indian Oceans; to the north by the neighbouring countri ...
.
History
The Prime Minister of
South Africa at the time, General
J. B. M. Hertzog, called for the creation of the Suid Afrikaanse Sentrale Koöperatiewe Graanmaatskappy ( en, South African Central Cooperative Grain Company) in 1930 as a response to the need of resources by local farmers. This system of
co-operative
A cooperative (also known as co-operative, co-op, or coop) is "an autonomous association of persons united voluntarily to meet their common economic, social and cultural needs and aspirations through a jointly owned and democratically-control ...
s was thus started by the then Minister of Agriculture, General Jan Kemp.
On July 15, 1931, the first founders meeting was held to start the co-operative then known as the
Swellendamse Boere Koöperatiewe Vereniging (
Swellendam’s Farmers Co-operative Society) attendees were:
*P.G. Lourens
*F.J. van Eeden
*M.C. Dippenaar
*J.H.K. van Blommestein
*F.J. Linde and
*D.C. van Dyk
At the second meeting held ten days later the following people joined in,
*M.J. Streicher
*D.H. van Papendorp
*and P.J. de Wet
Mr. van Blommestein the only person amongst the “Directors”, who had a University degree in law took the lead and were also elected as the first Chairmen. The start was a worrying affair and already ten days after the founding of the new institution member P.J. de Wet resigned.
See also
*
Agriculture in South Africa
References
Dr Joan Prins. ''Werk Saam Wen Saam''.1991.Cape Town.
External links
*
Soill
{{DEFAULTSORT:Sentraal-Suid Kooperasie
Agricultural cooperatives
Agriculture companies of South Africa
Food and drink companies established in 1931
1931 establishments in South Africa
Cooperatives in South Africa
Economy of the Western Cape