The Land of Hope Educational Trust

Chairman's Introduction

John Platter

The name - Land of Hope - encapsulated the inspiration. The first wine – an outstanding Chenin Blanc in the new idiom - gave it tangible expression. And now there are already kids receiving the kinds of enhanced tuition that will make a difference in their lives... that their parents were too often denied. Apart from love, there is no more precious gift a parent can give, nor a child receive.

The hallmarks of this ‘empowerment’ project are simplicity, directness and modesty. It relies on no government (or NGO) handout, no charity of any kind. There are no ambiguous employee-employer relationships. It will stand or fall on the efforts the participants, each of whom is personally involved in a key role in the business, both in the Land of Hope Trust and in The Winery of Good Hope.

The Land of Hope Trustees (just for the record, with a white minority) have arranged matters with three critical values in mind: transparency, collective decision-making and specifically targeted appropriation of gains – it’s for the kids. It is the antithesis of the grand – and often grandiose – BEE schemes that all over South Africa have given a good idea a very bad name.

So we were all delighted that the Financial Mail recognised the Trust as the best sustainable BEE (wine) deal of 2008; and I personally am honoured and humbled to be associated with all its people and their hopes.

John Platter
CHAIRMAN