The First Fiat Tractor – A Landmark Moment in VETSAK History

Some moments in history don’t just mark a sale — they mark a shift in the market. For VETSAK, one of those moments came in the 1960s, when a brand-new Fiat tractor rolled onto a farm in Ventersdorp and into the record books. What began as a single delivery would become the start of a two-decade success story.

1964 – The Sale That Started It All
On 5 November 1964, Sentraalwes Koöperasie made history when they sold the first VETSAK-imported Fiat tractor to HJ Kleynhans of Ventersdorp. Paired with a VETSAK plough, the bright orange Fiat didn’t just look the part — it delivered the kind of performance that would soon see Fiat capture 20% of the South African tractor market.

1982 – Finding the Original
Fast forward 17 years, and the very same Fiat tractor was tracked down by Frikkie Kraamwinkel, a long-time VETSAK communications consultant. By then, it had served 18 hardworking years on the Kleynhans farm — proof of both durability and loyal service.

When VETSAK’s new assembly plant opened in 1982, the tractor’s return was perfectly timed. Frikkie convinced Piet de Jager to arrange a swap — trading the original Fiat for the first ADE-engined Fiat to come out of the factory.

Restoration and Display
The original Kleynhans tractor was fully restored to its former glory and displayed proudly in the VETSAK building entrance at Isando. Later, it found a permanent home with Sentraalwes Koöperasie as a museum piece — a living reminder of where the Fiat-VETSAK story began.

A Legacy of Performance
That first sale was more than a business transaction. It was the start of a partnership between a brand, a co-operative, and the farmers they served. Today, it remains a milestone in our history, and a symbol of how the right product at the right time can change the market.