The oldest cane grower alive!

A Tongaat Hulett cane grower made South African history when she recently turned 100 years old  still being on the books of the sugar producing company.

Born in Mandeni, Bonani Edna Mwandla is testament to the proverbial saying that age is only a state of mind. Her journey with Tongaat Hulett began in 1960. More than five decades later, she has mastered the technique of producing and harvesting high quality sugar cane.

This retired mother of six lives with her two sons and daughter-in-law on the Macambini Reserve near Mandeni.
“Working and being active is like the fountain of youth, it keeps me young. I learned to work hard and appreciate things in life because we were very poor,” said Mwandla.
She said the youth of today were fortunate because they had all the opportunities and resources at their disposal to support their development.
“Modern pesticides and technology have made farm work less arduous and more productive. However, the high cost of fertiliser and chemicals as well as the shortage of labour required to harvest crops still remain a challenge,” said Mwandla.
This experienced grower said life had not been easy but she was grateful for the support from Tongaat Hulett which had enabled her to earn a decent living and had given “a standard of respectability”.
Prior to joining Tongaat Hulett as a grower, Mwandla had earned her living by planting vegetables and cereal crops. She is an advocate of natural living and has never taken any chronic medication. She believes in allowing the body to heal by itself.
Nkonzo Mhlongo, Tongaat Hulett’s socio-economic development manager, said “Mwandla’s years of loyalty and service and her zest for work at such a ripe old age are certainly an inspiration to other growers and aspiring entrepreneurs.”
Mwandla’s message to youth who aspire to be successful is never to let fear dictate life.
“Life gives us endless possibilities to learn and grow as individuals and we must embrace these opportunities at every turn,” she concluded.