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During the years 1967 to 1977 the people of Charlestown were dispossessed of their homes and land and resettled elsewhere. Following independent elections in South Africa, the Charlestown Community Trust was formed in 2003, with the aim of empowering the local community. The Trust acquired the farm Belfast through its operating division — Charlestown Ranches.
The Trust has 1100 beneficiaries with a representative board of 11 Trustees. The Trust acquired land I in the village of Charlestown in order to resettle previously dispossessed families; many have since returned to the village. The Trust has also acquired farm land and is developing commercial farming operations so as to create additional job opportunities in the area in order to alleviate local unemployment and thereby improve the living standards of the community.
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With the aid of the Department of Agriculture, a climatic crop mapping study was undertaken for Kwa Zulu Natal from which it was determined that raspberries would be ideally suited at the proposed project site.
The Charlestown Community Trust approached the Industrial Development Corporation (IDC) for assistance in developing a sustainable horticultural project that would create job opportunities for the members of the community, as well as providing additional income through profit generation. The IDC funded the Project with assistance from the National Empowerment Fund (NEF). The funders together with the Prosperity Trust, formed the project Company and remain as shareholders although the National Empowerment Fund holds its shares in trust for the Community.
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Amajuba Berries is striving to be recognized as a world class agricultural company, which produces high quality fruit in a cost-effective manner, to the advantage of both the consumer and all its stakeholders.
This vision underlines the company's commitment to:
- Effective support systems
- Strategic planning
- Productivity
- Quality products
- Capital growth
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As a world class company and possibly the largest raspberry producer in Southern Africa, Amajuba Berries strives to generate optimum income for its stakeholders through effective production and marketing of quality products. In the execution thereof, the company ensures that all its resources are optimally utilized in order to establish a financially sustainable unit to execute the production of long-term crops in a manner that is cost effective and technically acceptable for all.
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