Started in 2013, the Reap what you Sow organisation, fuelled by Sibanye Gold Mines, is working hard to produce vegetables on their own 20 hectares farm.

The Local Economic Development Department of the Randfontein Municipality started this initiative to empower the community to start their own businesses to make a living. There are 14 owners and beneficiaries of the Reap what you Sow organisation. They also have received a lot of help from the Department of Agriculture and the Rural and Land Reform Department.

Sibanye Gold Mines is responsible for all the funding for this project.

Bonolo Masigo, Sibanye Gold project administrator is helping this organisation with their marketing. Some of the beneficiaries with their responsibilities are:

• Violet Mathusiemang – chairperson
• Themba Dingilizwe – deputy chairperson
• Franzina Makhumisane – manager of the earthworm farm
• Desmond Mohlolo – site manager and trainer
• Paul Hlengwa – secretary of the organisation, tractor driver and marketing manager
• Ntombi Moteane – treasurer and assistant manager
• Sogada Makwedini – earthworm farm manager
• Felicia Nzwana – pest-control manager
• Cecilia Dlamini – irrigation and production manager
• Miemie Matalle pest control

The organisation cultivates spinach, cabbage, carrots, green pepper, chilies, micro greens, tomatoes, baby marrow and broccoli. They also have net houses where they grow some of the vegetables and micro greens. 

The water they use, also is monitored. The micro greens are irrigated five to 10 minutes a day. These micro greens, such as parsley, are sold to restaurants where it is used mostly as garnish.

Earthworms fertilise the soil as they have the ability to process food scraps into a rich, nutritious and organic fertiliser called vermicasting. The earthworm castings are screened and the fine sand is used to create fertile and nutrient rich soil.

The chemicals they use are conventional, which help their vegetables grow better.

The beneficiaries sell these vegetables to hawkers, who in turn make a living from the profits.

The community buys from them, but they would like to expand their project, so that more households would buy directly from them.

This farm has a lot of potential for growth, and they are also planning a carrot project. The challenges they face are a shortage of net houses in which they will be able to produce the best vegetables for the community.