Big dreams sprouting from a Cresswell Park field

Having outgrown small-scale farming, Mlabane Commercial Farms are looking to tackle the unforgiving world of commercial farming.

In operation since 2019, Mlabane have recently acquired 5 000 square metres of land that they hope to turn into a bountiful basket of nourishment for the Roodepoort community. The proud owner is Nompomello Elizabeth Sithole, a female entrepreneur with a grand vision whose farming lineage traces back generations. Her family has farms in the north-west of the country where the family secrets are taught, imparting knowledge on the young female from a tender age.

Assisting with administrative functions as well as the task of communicating the farm’s grand vision is Pride Sibanda. “Farming is in my blood. I did agriculture at school and I have been doing vegetable farming for different people for many years,” said Pride, explaining his experience in managing everything on a farm – from preparing the land and controlling weeds, to crop rotation and harvesting.

The long-term goal is to ensure that no stomach goes unnourished and no mind goes untapped. “Every stomach needs food every day, and the demand is going up due to population increase and climate changes. Our goal is to run a successful farming business that will be able to compete with giant farming companies in the country. We want to create employment for our fellow South Africans and we will support orphanages with our produce,” he envisioned.

Unfortunately, government has been unable to help, and re-registering Mlabane as a cooperative will go some way to remedying that. In the meantime, Pride is praying for the people of Roodepoort to assist them with any farming equipment they may have spare. “We are just like babies who are starting to walk. They will lean against all the items to balance until they stand on their own and are able to walk. We are kindly asking for help from our fellow South Africans whose ears will hear this message,” pleaded Pride.

“We are kindly asking for donations in the form of materials like fencing, fencing poles, JoJo tanks and a chain saw for clearing some of the bush and big trees. We would also like to hire a jackhammer to break a piece of concrete slab on one side of the land. We welcome all the donations no matter how small, but to us it will make a big difference. Other items like hoes, forks, shovels, picks, a pressure sprayer and seeds are all welcome,” he concluded.