By Ntambo Mabuza
Senwes Equipment, a subsidiary of Senwes Limited, has confirmed it planned to acquire several John Deere dealerships currently owned by AMC Equipment. The unfolding deal is expected to be concluded in the first quarter of 2026, subject to shareholder approval and a greenlight from the CompetitionCommission.
AMC, which on the other end of the acquisition deal, has been in existence for less than five years in its current form. Previously owned by the Northern Cape based GWK Group, AMC Equipment currently operates across key agricultural towns including Upington, Kakamas, Prieska, Douglas, Modderrivier, Barkley West, Hopetown and Luckhoff.
Under the proposed deal, these branches would be consolidated into Senwes’s growing machinery portfolio, with a centralised presence anticipated in Kimberley, according to Senwes.
“Senwes looks forward to serving producers in the Northern Cape region and is excited about the opportunity to expand its presence into this area,” says Debbie Bester, Chief Executive Officer of Senwes.
Given Senwes’ predigree, AMC’s Managing Director, Mr Frans du Plessis, assures customers and stakeholders in the Northern Cape regions that the contemplated change of ownership will not affect business continuity and the quality of services offered by the company. “Continued service delivery and support for the area, guided by John Deere’s strategic direction and the commitment of a dealer such as Senwes, is key to the ongoing success of commercial grain production in this critical irrigation and dryland area, which plays an important role in primary food and feed production in the country,” du Plessis adds.
A reading of Senwes’ 2025 annual report shows that the pending deal with AMC Equipment is not a mere flash in the pan, but reflects the company’s relentless expansionary growth strategy. Conceived in the humble rural world of farmer’s cooperatives over hundered years ago, Senwes now controls a substantial part of the agribiz value chain, from seeds to silos to insurarance.
Directly or through its subsidiaries, Senwes has a presence in 291 locations across the length and breath of South Africa. Moreover, it has an offshore footprint in Germany through 13 John Deere branches. Unfortunately, the profitability of these overseas investment is strained by the weight of the wars in Eastern Europe and the Middle East, Senwes acknowledges.
