Umfolozi Sugar Planters Ltd (known as UCOSP formally Umfolozi Co-Operative Sugar Planters Ltd) is an agricultural company based in Umfolozi on the KwaZulu Natal north coast and comprises 59 shareholders who collectively own approx. 9,000ha sugarcane farmland on the Umfolozi River flood plain.
UCOSP was established as an agricultural co-operative in 1923 with core business activities being; sugar milling, communal tramline transport of sugarcane, communal drainage / flood protection and communal road maintenance.
UCOSP owned and operated the Umfolozi Sugar Mill from 1923 until 1992 when the sugar milling operation was sold to CG Smith (Illovo Sugar Ltd) and UCOSP continued to exist as a co-operative with the remaining core business activities as well as expanded its operations with non-core business activities of sugarcane establishment, timber establishment and UCOSP Quarry stone and gravel mining operations.
UCOSP converted from a co-operative to a company in 2008 and operates its current core businesses activities (approx. 100 staff) and non-core business activities (approx. 50 staff) under respective legislative compliance authorities;
• Dept of Transport – Rail Regulator Licence for tramline transport,
• Dept of Water & Sanitation – Water Use Certificate for drainage / flood protection
• Dept of Transport – Road Subsidy for road maintenance.
• Dept of Water & Sanitation – Water Use Certificate for sugarcane irrigation.
• Dept of Water & Sanitation – Water Use Certificate for timber permits.
• Dept of Mineral Resources – Mining licence for UCOSP Quarry operations.
UCOSP participated in re-purchasing Umfolozi Sugar Mill (Pty) Ltd from Illovo Sugar effective 1 April 2009 with fellow Umfolozi Mill Grower (Pty) Ltd shareholders and NCP Alcohols (Pty) Ltd.
UCOSP shareholders elect a UCOSP Non-executive Board of Directors comprising;
5 x Shareholder directors
• Neil Groom : Chairman
• John Wiseman
• Wayne Dobeyn
• Mark Armstrong
• Gift Nyawose
2 x Independent directors
• Hans de Wet CA(SA)
• David Asherson BA LLB
The Non-executive Board of Directors appoints the General Manager who in turn appoints an executive management team;
• Lawrence McGrath : General Manager
• Tim Bradley : Tramline Manager
• Sphephelo Mngoma : HR admin Manager
• Feliz Marques : Accounts Manager
• Lucas Kruger : Workshop Manager
• Andrew Rance : Agricultural Manager
• Skhumbuzo Mkhwanazi : Engineering Manager
The Non-executive Board of Directors elect the UCOSP director representatives for Umfolozi Sugar Mill (Pty) Ltd;
• Neil Groom : UCOSP Chairman
• Lawrence McGrath : UCOSP General Manager