IN MEMORIAM: J.J. (Kobus) Serfontein
Dr Jan van Niekerk (contributions by Drs Fanus Swart, Wouter Schreuder, Glynnis Cook and Prof Pedro Crous)
The plant pathology community recently lost another valuable member with the passing of Kobus Serfontein. Kobus grew up in Pietersburg (now Polokwane) where he also attended school. He attended Pretoria University for his pre-graduate studies before moving to Stellenbosch for his postgraduate studies. He did his MSc study on Pseudomonas diseases of tomato under the guidance of Prof Martin Hattingh at the Department of Plant Pathology. Kobus started his MSc with several compatriots that would later become friends and colleagues. These included Wouter Schreuder, Suzel Orffer and Pedro Crous. According to Pedro it was during their numerous field trips that the sparks started flying between Suzel and Kobus. This ended up in them getting married and their marriage was an example to all.
Like many other plant pathologists in South Africa, Kobus started his professional career at the ARC. He headed up the Bacteriology unit at ARC-PPRI at Roodeplaat where he worked alongside Suzel and Dr Glynnis Cook. After his military service, Pedro Crous also started working at the ARC Roodeplaat. He recalls from that time how often he got invited by Kobus and Suzel to a braai over weekends that turned into a highlight of the weekend. Glynnis recalls the contribution of Kobus in establishing the foundation of the Bacteriology Unit that is still going strong to this day. She also fondly remembers how Kobus was always ready with a friendly greeting in the morning and a willingness to help wherever he could.
After leaving the ARC, Kobus and Suzel teamed up with Dr Fanus Swart and started QMS AgriScience in 2000. Together, they built up QMS to a well-known service provider in agriculture, performing an essential service to the various industries. Fanus remembers Kobus as an honorable man, deeply religious, dedicated to ethical, credible science and his family. He also valued Kobus for his ability to find solutions to difficult problems in a focused manner, while having the ability to explain his findings in an understandable manner.
In 2013 Kobus moved on from QMS and relocated to Stellenbosch from Tzaneen. Here he joined ICA International Chemicals, teaming up with former student friend, Wouter Schreuder. At ICA he was valued for his wealth of knowledge and the great contribution he made to the company on various levels. Kobus also stood out for his great sense of humor and how he always treated all colleagues with respect.
On a personal level I met Kobus (and Suzel) in 2007 when I joined Westfalia Fruit Estates in Tzaneen as plant pathologist. From our first meeting, they went out of their way to make us feel welcome in the new town and province and over time they became great friends and surrogate grandparents to our children. Our friendship continued when we also moved to Stellenbosch in 2016. I fondly remember all the “stoep kuiers” at their homes in Tzaneen and later Stellenbosch. Kobus was to me a mentor, teaching me about working in industry and was a great source of knowledge. He never hesitated to share his experience and knowledge, and we could have discussions on many topics over a glass or two of good wine.
We therefore will always remember Kobus as an extremely knowledgeable plant pathologist whose contribution to science was made across industries and at various levels. We will also remember how freely he shared his knowledge and how dedicated he was to ethical science. As person we will remember him for his kindness, wisdom, humor and love of people.
Rest in peace my friend, we will miss you.
1 December 2025 Start for 2018 Plant Improvement Act
President Cyril Ramaphosa has proclaimed the start date of the 2018 Plant Improvement Act, which will come into effect on 1 December 2025.
The Act was signed into law by the president in March 2019, alongside the 2018 Plant Breeders’ Rights Act; however, the Act was not put into full effect.
The laws facilitate:
- The registration of certain types of businesses that deal with plants and propagating material intended for cultivation and sale, as well as the registration of the premises where such businesses operate;
- The establishment of quality standards for plants and propagating material intended for cultivation and sale, along with the conditions under which they may be sold;
- A national system for listing plant varieties;
- The evaluation of plant varieties to determine their value, particularly where there is uncertainty regarding their suitability for cultivation and use;
- The control of the import and export of plants and propagating material; and
- A system governing different types of schemes for plants and propagating material, together with related matters.
The new legislation will enable South Africa to support sustainable crop production by regulating the quality of plants and seeds used in agriculture.
UPCOMING EVENTS
The 54th SASPP Congress will be held from 18 – 21 January 2026 at the Premier Hotel Umhlanga.
The congress is a premier gathering of leading experts, researchers, students, and industry in the field of plant pathology. This congress will be a platform for sharing ground-breaking research, innovative ideas, and fostering collaborations that will shape the future of our discipline.
IMPORTANT INFORMATION FOR DELEGATES
Only a few weeks to the 54th SASPP 2026 Congress in Umhlanga in January 2026!
The ‘KNOW-BEFORE-YOU-GO’ document is available on the congress website. Please read through all the details.
ORDER YOUR T-SHIRT!! There’s a once-off opportunity to order a unique SASPP 2026 Congress T-shirt. Orders will close on 17 December, and only fully paid orders will be processed. Unfortunately, no late orders can be processed. Please use your Black Friday practising skills to order and pay immediately to avoid disappointment.
Please check your PRESENTATION DETAILS on the provisional programme and advise of any changes by Wednesday 17 December 2025. All attendees will receive a printed copy of the programme, abstracts will be made available online only.
The NSTF Discussion Forums are platforms for constructive interaction and discussion with science, engineering technology (SET) and innovation stakeholders, including government, on key priority areas of concern to the SET community. The purpose of these events is to exchange expert knowledge from various perspectives on burning issues.
