Khulani was founded in March 2003 after a citrus farmer and friend planted the idea of providing seasonal teams to the agricultural sector. The goal was, and still is, to create year-round employment through seasonal labor. Initially, recruitment was done by distributing pamphlets in the informal settlements and residential areas of Clanwilliam.

Information sessions were held in tin shacks and church halls. Those with some proficiency in Afrikaans and basic reading and writing skills were ‘promoted’ to team leaders.

Now, many years later, we reflect on a journey filled with challenges. We have navigated frequent legislative changes, gained a deeper understanding of workers’ cultures and needs, and developed training and mentorship programs for team leaders to embed discipline, productivity, and quality into our operations.

Implementing systems and managing the flow of paperwork between teams in the field and the administrative office has been and remains a significant challenge.

Over the last couple of months, we’ve developed modern digital workflow systems that streamline communication, reduce paperwork, and ensure accuracy. These new systems are transforming how we operate — and we’re well on our way to fully overcoming this challenge.