Local news

Benoni’s favourite ‘farmer’ Ronnie Jankelowitz dies

Ronnie always had the vision of service excellence.

Ronnie Jankelowitz, a pioneering Benoni businessman, recently died after being hospitalised for a leg thrombosis.

He was the family’s second generation to take the reins of Benoni Farmers’ Supply, a family-run business for over 112 years.

The business was a landmark in town and one of the first to open in Benoni.

Ronnie Jankelowitz. Photo: LinkedIn.

“Ronnie always had the vision of service excellence. ‘We always go the extra mile’ was his motto, and free delivery and special orders were never too much trouble for him and his staff,” his son Michael said.

Farmers’ Supply was located on the corner of Princes Avenue and Wilstead Street in the Benoni CBD for 104 years by the time Ronnie, then 81 years old, closed the doors at the end of January 2016.

The Benoni City Times reported at the time that Ronnie’s father, Kusiel, farmed in present-day Cloverdene in the ‘50s. In 1951, he became a shareholder in Farmers’ Supply.

At 19, Ronnie joined the business as an employee in 1954, “starting at the bottom”, as Ronnie said at the time.

He became a shareholder in Farmers’ Supply in 1971, along with his father and mother, Ida, and took ownership in 1977 when his father died.

At this stage, a property was purchased in New Modder, which became a second branch for the sale and manufacture of farming implements.

The branch manager of Farmers’ Supply, Michael Jankelowitz, said the business was well known in Benoni and beyond.

Ronnie and Ester Jankelowitz celebrated their 65th wedding anniversary in 2021.

“Farmers’ Supply was a pioneer at the time in introducing the engine-driven tractor and was one of the first companies to spearhead the industry into the 20th century by offering these new tractors to the public,” he said.

“By 1950, we had become a household name in the greater Benoni area and renowned for our service excellence and expansive range of not only farming implements but also our extensive range of general hardware.”

Ronnie told the Benoni City Times that the closure of this landmark business was attributed to competition in the market.

ALSO READ: Couple celebrates 65th wedding anniversary

In 1980, Ronnie formed BenFarm, a division of Farmers’ Supply, and began manufacturing and selling farming equipment, first nationally and eventually internationally.

According to Michael, Ronnie had a love for all sports and had completed 18 Comrades Marathons and over 60 other runs in his career.

“His second passion was the love for the Seventh Medium Regiment Scottish Brigade, in which he was a Sergeant Major.

“We are honoured and blessed to have the Seventh Medium Regiment band and representatives attend my dad’s funeral on February 11 at the Benoni Jewish Cemetery in Rynsoord.

“Ronnie lived a full and wonderful life with the love of his family and for sports.

“He started an annual training run to Heidelberg and back, sponsored solely by him and his family. Many winners of Comrades gold medals had trained on what they called ‘Ronnie’s Run’.

“My dad will be sorely missed by friends, family, and especially his wife, Esther, daughter, Salome, and sons, Anthony and Michael.”

ALSO READ: #JourneyTo100Years: Farmers’ Supply an important part of Benoni’s history

 

At Caxton, we employ humans to generate daily fresh news, not AI intervention. Happy reading!
Stay in the know. Download the Caxton Local News Network App here.

Related Articles

Back to top button