Portrait of a Son of the Soil
| Friday May 29, 2015 15:05
GANTSI: “Hard work pays”; This is businessman and farmer, Rudi Lemcke’s mantra and he repeats the phrase numerous times during our interview.
Lemcke, a lifelong cattle farmer, says nothing useful can ever be achieved without hard work.
Lemcke started cattle farming immediately after finishing high school in Pretoria. In those early years, the cattle rancher and his wife lived in a shack-like structure at Sonop farm acquired from his father.
“We used candles to light our small house and chopped firewood for cooking on the coal/wood stove,” recalls Lemcke adding; “That is how we lived. Hard work pays and one needs to have perseverance and patience in order to achieve their goals.”
From these humble years, Lemcke stuck onto his mantra and last year, established Tau Mall in Gantsi, a multi-million Pula investment bringing a slice of modernity to the desert village.
However, it is the experiences from his formative years outside the country that hardened Lemcke’s attitude towards success. During his years at school in Namibia, the cattle rancher and school friend, Christiaan de Graaf, were involved in an incident that Lemcke remembers clearly.
“Christiaan and I were the only students from outside the country and one day it happened that some items went missing in the dormitory,” he recalls.
“Everybody suspected us and we were given lashes by the school head.
“That was the day I vowed to work hard, finish my school and start my own business.
“That is how I ventured into cattle farming and I have never looked back.
“In a way we were discriminated against, me and Christiaan.” Today, Lemcke is the most likeable man in Gantsi, known and beloved by many people who call him simply by his first name. Many in the village speak highly of him and commend him for establishing Tau Mall.
“It’s my way of giving back to a community that has always been there for me. It’s payback time. Some of the young people in this town have been able to secure jobs at the shops located in the mall.”
Lemcke breeds and sells cattle to farmers in and outside the country. He also sells to the Botswana Meat Commission and feedlots. Lemcke’s breeds are Simmentals, Brahman and Charolais.
He has different studs for his cattle and is a great believer in technology, keeping up with trends in animal husbandry throughout his decades in the business.
Today, Lemcke is one of the largest cattle breeders in Gantsi and many cattle farmers visit him to benchmark on cattle breeding. His desire is to see all cattle farmers in the region unite and as they all share the ultimate goal of being the best cattle producers in the country.
“I urge all cattle farmers to have active farmers associations because those are the right forums to air your views and challenges and to share ideas on cattle farming,” he says.
Having grown up in the industry, Lemcke is now a well of wisdom for upcoming cattle ranchers and is willing to share his knowledge.
“The most important thing to do as a cattle farmer is to regularly keep your studs clean. Keep a record of newborn calves and their mothers and give them cattle feeds and clean water.
“Give them some love, too, because no matter the number of cattle you have, it is important to know them all individually and give them love,” notes Lemcke.
Lemcke, who is fluent in Naro, easily communicates with his farm workers as the majority of them speak the Sesarwa dialect.
Outside of cattle farming, the veteran rancher is a keen sportsperson and is the president of Gantsi Terrors football team. He is also a huge fan of Township Rollers and Orlando Pirates.
Lemcke, who describes himself as a simple man, is particularly proud of the Gantsi community and their love for him “although I always make a fool of myself”. He is married to Ida and the couple has two sons.