A huge agribusiness with solid family values

Despite having diversified into mining, construction, civil contracting, and heavy equipment hire, the ALS Group remains at heart a family farming business characterised by attention to detail, professionalism and integrity. Magda du Toit recently visited some of the agricultural and other business ventures in which the award-winning ALS Group is involved, and filed this report

- Magda du Toit

The ALS Group is today a major agribusiness group with interests in everything from heavy equipment hire to mining, yet this remarkably diversified business has its roots deep in the agriculture sector.

In 1989, brothers Cas and Thys Joubert, and the late James Honiball, from the Newcastle area in KwaZulu-Natal (KZN), started building dams in order to keep their tractors occupied in the off season. They registered the business in 1990, and today the ALS Group farms in four provinces on a combined 60 000ha of land, providing work to 1 100 households all told.

In 2022, Agricultural Writers South Africa named the ALS Group ‘National Farmer of the Year’.

“Our business success is built on integrity, principles, values and exceptional leadership,” says ALS Group director Johan Janse van Rensburg.

He adds that ALS has a ‘flat’ management structure, with individuals who share the same vision and business ethics and are equally optimistic about business prospects in South Africa.

Discipline, attention to detail, being open to the use of technology and ‘measuring to manage’ are part of the company’s DNA. At the same time, its core values (honesty, reliability, professionalism, respect, discipline, loyalty and safety) have helped ALS weather the many vicissitudes faced by South Africa’s farmers.

“There are always setbacks and challenges, but one has to look for opportunities within these circumstances,” says Janse van Rensburg. “We pride ourselves on the quality of our services, actions and operations, and I believe if that’s visible to the customer, they will knock on your door.”