Eastern Cape Rural Development and Agrarian Reform on role played by women in agriculture

Zanele Matikinca, an ardent businesswoman from Mthatha, proved passion and dedication is rewarding when she became the overall winner of the awards after she initially clinched the first prize in the best commercial farming category.

Matikinca said when she was “written off” from working hard after an operation due to spinal cord challenges in 2010, she ventured into agriculture value addition in 2012. She started by buying vegetables from local farmers, chopping and packaging them for the markets.

Her business venture has not only yielded great returns for herself but for other people as she has 20 people under her employ. Matikinca sells her vegetables to Spar supermarkets in Mthatha as well as restaurants and local catering companies.

“In 2010, I had a problem with my spinal cord and I had to do an operation. As a result of that I was written off from working hard. I used to do catering services where I identified the market of cutting vegetables hence my business to chop and supply vegetables is booming,” Matikinca said.

She praised the government for its support after she received a truck and bakkie to deliver the vegetables as well as a processing machine and a big refrigerator.

“I used to deliver my products with a vehicle that did not meet food safety standards and as such, I was always chased away by food retail stores. I also had a small fridge that could not meet the demands of my clients,” she added.

Now, thanks to government intervention, Matikinca is able to meet the standards required by food retailers and is running a thriving business.

Matikinca won R30 000 in total.

Another winner, Philasande Mahlakatha, who is processing indigenous plants to produce essential oil with which she makes cosmetic products, said she started the “not very popular amongst African people” business in 2019.

“I started small without any assistance but this is what I wanted to do despite the fact that I did not understand it. I did research and my passion for it grew,” said Mahlakatha.

She added that lack of capital and interest did not deter her from pursuing her business.

Mahlakatha, who won the first prize in the agro-processing category, was assisted by the national Department of Agriculture with a processing machine, packaging equipment and “full package” to brand her products.

She said she was elated to have won as she was not expecting to win. She walked away with R15 000.

Another winner from the district who will join Mahlakatha and Matikinca when they compete with other districts in the provincial event scheduled to take place in August was Gugulethu Qukula, who won the first prize in the smallholder farming category with a R15 000 prize.

Enquiries:
Mr Thozi Manyisana
Cell: 068 763 4268 / 072 637 5141

Mr Atule Joka (MEC’s spokesperson)
Cell: 071 688 4231

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