In the harsh landscape of South African agriculture, 2023 unfolded as a formidable adversary for farmers like Buti Malinga, Olerile Lekgetho, Angelo Marman, and Thabo Dithakgwe.
Food For Mzansi reached out to these farmers to gain insight into how they are currently doing.
In their collective struggles, these farmers exemplify resilience, determination, and an unwavering spirit as they navigate the challenges of a tumultuous year in South African agriculture.
Battling the ongoing menace of stock theft in 2023
In 2023, farmer Buti Malinga of Vukani Piggery faced adversity on his 154-hectare farm near Potchefstroom in North West. Teaming up with his sister Cathy, Malinga struggled against financial distress exacerbated by relentless stock theft.
On 22 December 2022, and again on 3 January 2023, heartless thieves targeted the farm, making off with 24 and then 48 grower pigs, respectively. The cumulative loss surpassed R200 000, a devastating blow to Vukani Piggery.
An endless cycle
Recently he lost more pigs to stock thieves. It is an endless cycle that has frustrated Malinga for years.
“It’s a lot of money. This is a severe setback,” Malinga lamented, emphasising how the funds could have alleviated pressing farm expenses, from feed and medication to overheads and SARS obligations.
“We are farming for [thieves]. We work hard and then they decide whenever they want to come and take your things.
“These people are not stealing from us because they are hungry. How do you take 72 pigs when you are hungry? Where are you storing them? It’s a syndicate. Where do we go for help?”
Despite this Malinga looks to the future and hopes that the perpetrators will be caught.
ALSO READ: Top tips to protect yourself against livestock theft
Rising from the ruins after devastating WC floods
Angelo Marman’s dreams drowned in the relentless floods that swept through Riversdale near Malmesbury in the Western Cape, leaving Lab Aqua Trades, his once-thriving aquaponics business, in ruins.
From five fish to 1.6 hectares of Swartland land, Marman’s toil collapsed beneath the weight of merciless downpours in the Western Cape. The floods obliterated tunnel structures and submerged his tomato farm, totalling a heart-wrenching loss of R150 000.
Yet, amid the ruins, he vowed to salvage his business, promising employment security for his team. In the flooded space, Marman planned a revival with wild and sweet rocket plants.
“My farm is situated on a slope so with all the rain that came through it was impossible to evade the water coming through, but it was bad.
“I will improvise. We will need to look at other alternative ways of making up for the loss,” he said.
Marman now finds himself in a much better position than he did a few months ago. However, a lot of work still lies ahead of him.
Facing nature’s wrath on his dream farm
On his hard-earned 666-hectare dream farm in North West, Olerile Lekgetho faced heartbreak in 2023. A few years ago, Amantsi Trading emerged from a 30-year lease, a cherished endeavour for the young farmer who once toiled alongside his grandfather in Taung.
However, nature turned ruthless, unleashing a merciless hailstorm that ravaged 80-90% of his precious grass. Cows hungry, pockets stretched thin, Lekgetho struggled to provide.
As if hail wasn’t enough, relentless fires tormented the farm for three agonising days, continuing their destructive dance. Undeterred, Lekgetho clung to hope, soldiering on against the unforgiving forces of nature.
Amidst adversity, Lekgetho’s spirit continues to rise. His prayers for rain echo as lucerne production thrives as a lifeline for his beloved livestock during the harsh winter months.
He has also expanded his horizons, tapping into new markets across provinces. Diversification has become a big part of his business model venturing into innovative agro-processing offerings such as 100% beef sausages and beef burger patties.
ALSO READ: ICYMI: NW govt finally answers farmers’ veld fires SOS call
Navigating the ravages of veld fires
Thabo Dithakgwe, a daring young farmer of Pomfret, North West, faced the relentless onslaught of veld fires on his 790-hectare desert domain this year.
A prodigy in agriculture, he inherited the arid land from his grandfather Nasi and began his farming journey at the tender age of 18, cultivating Bonsmara cattle.
However, the unforgiving flames, symbolic of nature’s wrath, struck his livelihood. Dithakgwe, acknowledging the devastating loss, declared with resilience, “I experienced veld fires on my farm last night. A great loss, but we soldier on.”
Battling the flames and the darkness of load shedding, Dithakgwe bared his vulnerability, fearing that these combined challenges might mark the ominous end of his agricultural aspirations.
In the face of adversity, this young man, wise beyond his years, clings to the spirit of endurance, a hallmark of Mzansi’s farmers.
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