A 671.5 ha commercial farm near Empangeni in KwaZulu-Natal is divided into four adjoining portions planted to sugarcane and macadamias, with full infrastructure, extensive water rights and backup power. Portions 1 & 2 (370.9 ha) are priced at R47 million and include irrigated cane, young macadamias, large Tugela–Mhlatuze water allocation and multiple staff and farm buildings. Portions 3 & 4 (300.57 ha) are offered at R22.5 million, featuring dryland cane, Nseleni River rights and comprehensive on-farm facilities. Additional value lies in a sizeable gravel quarry and greenhouse tunnels.
Property overview
- Total size: 671.5 ha commercial farm near Empangeni, KwaZulu-Natal
- Main enterprises: sugarcane cultivation and macadamia orchards
- Full infrastructure, power connection via Eskom plus backup generator
Farm portions
- Portion 1: 168.9842 ha
- Portion 2: 201.9482 ha
– Portions 1 & 2 contiguous (total 370.9324 ha)
- Portion 3: 206.3899 ha
- Portion 4: 94.1863 ha
– Portions 3 & 4 contiguous (total 300.5762 ha)
Sale options
- Portions 1 & 2 (370.9 ha) at R47 million
– 234 ha irrigated sugarcane, 20 ha macadamias
– 1 596 894 m3 water rights (Tugela–Mhlatuze scheme) plus 20 000 m3 storage
– Infrastructure includes three houses, three open sheds, workshop, staff compounds
- Portions 3 & 4 (300.57 ha) at R22.5 million
– 160 ha dryland sugarcane
– 270 000 m3 water rights (Nseleni River)
– Facilities: flatlet, office, storage, garage, staff quarters, 11 houses
Location & access
- Situated 20–45 km NW of Empangeni in the Heatonville area
- Cane delivery to Felixton Mill (35 km) or via nearby rail link
Crops:
Sugarcane
• ~400 ha under production
• Irrigation via three centre pivots (3-, 4-, 5-tower) plus draglines
• Yields up to 120 t/ha (pivot) and 70–90 t/ha (dragline)
Macadamias
• 20 ha under drip irrigation
• Tree age profile: 50% six years, 25% five years, 25% four years
Water resources
- Total registered water rights: 1 866 894 m3 (Goedertrouw Dam, Mhlathuze & Nseleni Rivers)
- On-farm storage: 20 000 m3 plus domestic 100 000 l rainwater reservoir
- Two boreholes
- Average annual rainfall ~1 100 mm
Infrastructure & improvements
- Main dwellings: three houses plus flatlet and staff quarters
- Sheds and workshops: multiple open sheds, storerooms, garage, office
- Power: Eskom supply with backup generator
Security
- Electric fencing and remote-controlled gates
- Burglar bars on windows
- CCTV surveillance system
Additional revenue streams
- Unregistered gravel quarry with ~10 000 000 m3 high-quality gravel and significant upside potential
- Two multispan greenhouse tunnels cultivating peppers, tomatoes and cucumbers
Commercial considerations
- Farm equipment available separately at market-related prices
- Sale structured as a going concern; seller is VAT-registered (VAT extra)
- Market valuation report available
Conclusions
- Strategically located, large-scale sugarcane and macadamia operation with full infrastructure
- Two sale packages to suit different budgets and scale: R47 million for irrigated block; R22.5 million for dryland block
- Strong water rights portfolio and backup power enhance production security
- Value-add from gravel quarry and greenhouse tunnels
- Ready for immediate operation; equipment and VAT-structured sale facilitate acquisition
