Dynamic Maphumulo farmer named a Santam woman of the future

A young Maphumulo woman, Welile Gumede is proving that she has more than just staying power with her booming vegetable tunnels in Madundube.

Gumede won the Santam Women of the Future Awards in the Rising Star category, in association with Fairlady and TrueLove in Cape Town last month.

The 28-year-old was first recognised in 2018 when she bagged third place in the Ilembe Chamber of Commerce Entrepreneur Competition. 

At the time she had recently started Azowel Projects, when after struggling to find a job, she was looking for an opportunity and came upon some abandoned farming tunnels in the rural area where she lived.

Believing that she could succeed where others had failed she approached the chief to present her plans. 

“I was stressed and wanted to do something about my life,” she said, knowing her dream hinged on convincing him.

Impressed with her initiative he gave her the green light.

Gumede started with a mere two tunnels and now runs ten tunnels filled with tomatoes and peppers, producing about 1800kg of tomatoes and 900kg of peppers a week supplying food stores around KwaDukuza. 

“I am struggling to meet the demand so I am busy with the construction of an additional ten tunnels. All together I need about 40 tunnels, but I hope and pray that I will be able to achieve that goal,” said Gumede.

She now employs 13 people and with her business growing, she hopes to be able to employ more.

The 2008 Windsor Secondary School matriculant holds a dental assisting higher certificate obtained at the Durban University of Technology and an N6 chemical engineering certificate from the Berea Technical College.