A 27-year-old vegetable farmer is this year’s iLembe Entrepreneur of the Year.

Mhlengi Ngcobo has proven that determination and vision can cultivate dreams as well as crops. Ngcobo of Boyane Agri Farm in Madundube, outside KwaDukuza, was crowned the winner of the annual iLembe Chamber of Commerce’s Entrepreneur competition, held at CMH Ballito last Friday.

“It’s a huge recognition,” said an overjoyed Ngcobo. He thanked his mentor, John Faul, and people who cheered him on throughout his journey.

Unable to find a job after completing a diploma in business management in 2019, he followed his grandfather’s advice and started a small vegetable garden at home – named after his grandfather. That garden has since blossomed into Boyane Agri Farm, a thriving business supplying vegetables such as cucumbers, sweet peppers, tomatoes, spinach, and lettuce to major retailers including Fieldcrest, Boxer, Food Lovers, Superb and Pick n Pay.

He joined the Entrepreneur 2025 programme to sharpen his skills and learn from a network of equipped, successful individuals.

“As an entrepreneur, the phases of facing challenges never end. You just learn to take your biggest challenges the same way you take your wins, having a winning mindset,” he said.

Ngcobo faced one of his biggest obstacles to success earlier this year. While running a separate agriculture venture with a partner, his business funds were frozen when Ithala bank ceased operations, as reported in the Courier. Ngcobo and the partner later parted ways, leading him to return to Boyane full time in the hope of continuing his family’s legacy.

The Entrepreneur programme is accredited by the Graduate School of Business and Leadership at the University of KwaZulu-Natal. Ngcobo emerged as the winner among 20 innovative businesspeople representing industries ranging from agriculture and tourism to beauty and food.

First runner-up Dane Padayachee of The Educational Studio (Tongaat) and second runner-up Sithandiwe Khomo of ZenQuniforms (Maphumulo) also impressed judges with their innovative offerings.

The winners each take their share of R75 000 in business funding and R90 000 in advertising sponsored by The North Coast Courier. They also receive web hosting and domain registration from Ballito ISP, ongoing mentorship and a year’s membership at the iLembe Chamber.

The competition, supported by Enterprise iLembe, Airports Company South Africa, The North Coast Courier, Siza Water, AVON Peaking Power and ENGIE Peakers Operations, is designed to tackle unemployment by nurturing the next generation of job creators.

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