Cape Span

About us

 

Capespan is an international leader in delivering world-class fresh produce and service solutions. Via our vast networking system, we deliver to global fruit trading partners in 66 countries on six continents, 365 days a year, enabling more than 1 300 global producer partners in 26 countries to fulfill their global supply objectives throughout the year.

Perhaps even more importantly, we see ourselves as a socially responsible organisation, committed to uplifting the lives of those around us.

It is with this in mind that we set up The Capespan Foundation – the Corporate Social Investment arm of our organisation, with a mandate to improve the quality of life for people living and working in rural/agricultural communities in which the company operates.

The Foundation also conducts CSI fundraising initiatives, and develops joint-venture partnerships with local community-based NGOs and service providers, as well as with international customers, service providers and related industry role players.

The scope of the Foundation’s activities includes farms in which Capespan has a shareholding interest, rural agricultural communities in which the company operates and international projects initiated by the company’s international offices/partners.

Our various CSI programmes, referred to as “Blue Hand” projects, focus on providing communities with support in three main areas– Health, Education and Social Development.

Social development initiatives:
Rural and agricultural worker community-based initiatives, which provide much needed employment and income-generating opportunities for poor and underdeveloped communities.

 

Health improvement initiatives:
Capespan provides basic healthcare educational programmes and supports rural service providers who care for, and provide food supplements to people suffering from HIV/AIDS and other chronic illnesses.

 

Educational initiatives:
Capespan is involved in setting up rural day-care, pre-school and after-care educational centres, and in providing rural Primary School support, Adult Basic Education programmes and Life-skills training programmes on farms. 

 

 

“It’s a credit to the fresh produce business and key logistics service providers that they’ll take time to think beyond the balance sheet and are willing to engage with us in such a meaningful way. I’m greatly impressed by their energy, professionalism and goodwill.”

 

Janis Mowlam, Chairperson of School-Aid

School-Aid is Capespan’s educational support partner, and supplies books and other quality surplus educational items collected by UK volunteers. 
 
 
 

 
News
Latest News Blue Hand Caring

As a Blue Hand project, a preschool care centre in the Villiersdorp district received more than a lick of paint from the Capespan Foundation recently. Read More...

read more
Praise for much-needed Aussenkehr centre

Great was the joy of the Aussenkehr community in Namibia when a much-needed pre-school educational resource centre for Namibian Grape Company (NGC) employees' children was inaugurated recently. Read More...

read more
Exemplary environmental credentials

Dr Paul Clüver, Capespan chairman and owner of Paul Clüver Wines,has been awarded The Drinks Business Lifetime Achievement Green Award at a ceremony in London on 11 February. Read More...

read more
Kilimanjaro to Grabouw

A sponsor partnership between the Foundation of fruit export agent, Capespan and the shipping line, Safmarine, recently made the Siphila Sonke Trust in Grabouw the proud owners of a converted …

read more
news event
Latest News Blue Hand Caring

As a Blue Hand project, a preschool care centre in the Villiersdorp district received more than a lick of paint from the Capespan Foundation recently. Read More...

read more
Praise for much-needed Aussenkehr centre

Great was the joy of the Aussenkehr community in Namibia when a much-needed pre-school educational resource centre for Namibian Grape Company (NGC) employees' children was inaugurated recently. Read More...

read more
Exemplary environmental credentials

Dr Paul Clüver, Capespan chairman and owner of Paul Clüver Wines,has been awarded The Drinks Business Lifetime Achievement Green Award at a ceremony in London on 11 February. Read More...

read more
Kilimanjaro to Grabouw

A sponsor partnership between the Foundation of fruit export agent, Capespan and the shipping line, Safmarine, recently made the Siphila Sonke Trust in Grabouw the proud owners of a converted …

read more
Projects

 

  Interview

   ...With Ansonette van der Merwe, Capespan Foundation Manager.


Why do you do the job you do? 
Because I care about improving living conditions for disadvantaged people,

particularly children and the elderly.

What is the most rewarding aspect of your work? 
To experience how a small start gains momentum and evolves

into significant improvements.

What motivates you? 
People and communities that embrace opportunities to improve their lives,

who are looking for “hand-ups” rather than “hand-outs”.

Where does CSI/CSR need to develop in South Africa? 
Corporate/commercial business should be able to focus on innovative and real sustainable

social- and economic-development   projects. Government should focus on honouring its basic

social and community responsibilities.

Currently it seems as if corporations and commercial business are   expected to ‘come to the rescue’

where the Public System is failing our country’s vulnerable citizens.

 Why do you believe you can change the world? 
 I might not be able to change ‘the’ world, but I am able to change ‘my’ world by participating in efforts to improve

the part of the world in which I live and operate in.
  

  Community Health

                            

 The Capespan Foundation provides HIV/AIDS voluntary testing, as well as health-related educational

  awareness programmes and training to rural agricultural workers in areas in which the company operates, including:

  • The Northern Cape table grape farms;
  • The Eastern Cape citrus farming community (whilst also supporting the Thembalethu HIV/Aids
  • Trust in the Sundays River/Addo region);
  • Limpopo and Mpumalanga citrus farms.

Education

The Capespan Foundation’s educational support programmes include:

  • The establishment and ongoing support for pre-school centres on Northern Cape table grape farms;
  • The establishment and ongoing support for an Adult Training and Education Centre on Northern Cape table grape farm;
  • The establishment and ongoing support for pre-school and after-school tutoring centres on Western Cape fruit farms;
  • Support and funding for Grabouw Secondary School;
  • Support and funding for Agter-Witzenberg Primary School (rural Ceres area).


   Social Development

              

  Capespan partners with, and supports Siphila Sonke, a community based Non-Profit

  Organisation that provides basic care, as well as nutritional, emotional and spiritual support

  to those most in need in the Grabouw informal community, and in other underdeveloped settlement areas. 


  

  

 

 

 

 
Info
  • ansvdm@capespan.co.za
  • +27 21 917 2930
  • Website