21 / 124
19
2017 Subsistence Farmer of the Year
Simphiwe Elliot Gumbi
Ghsasa Solomon Dhlongolo
Mavis Nomvula Hlatshwayo
Even though Simphiwe Gumbi grew up in the rural areas of
KwaZulu-Natal, he was not really interested in agriculture and only
considered it as a career after working in the mines for 22 years.
In 2005 Simphiwe and his wife, Vuyelwa, decided to make farming
and helping the community their new life ambition. They farm on a
portion of Hoffental farm near Tabhane in KwaZulu-Natal. The couple
uses no mechanisation and plants their maize by hand.
Simphiwe has taken part in the Grain SA Jobs Fund project since
2015 and has reaped the benefits in yield. According to Simphi-
we the knowledge he gained by attending the Thabane 29 Study
Group and the mentoring by Grain SA’s officials made him a much
better farmer. He is a pillar of strength in his community, sells maize
and mealie meal and helps those that are less fortunate by supplying
them with food. He is also passionate
about sharing the knowledge he has
gained through his association with
Grain SA with other farmers in order
for them to get the best yields from the
resources at their disposal.
Developing co-ordinator, Graeme En-
gelbrecht explains: ‘This is a dynamic
husband and wife team and they have
hearts of gold. They are pillars in their
community and help those that are
less fortunate by supplying them with
food.’
When the 68-year-old Ghsasa Dhlongolo joined the Donkerhoek
Grain SA Study Group in 2009 he had no idea of how this would
change his life for the better.
Ghsasa was a farmworker for most of his working life. He started off
as a general worker, but soon advanced to become a tractor driver.
In 2009 he decided to plant maize for the consumption of his family
and started off by cultivating 2 ha of land allocated to him by the
Kaluka CPA near Piet Retief.
His eminent passion for farming and his diligent attendance of
Grain SA Study Group meetings and functions soon resulted in
him being elected as chairperson of
the Donkerhoek Study Group. He is
a member of the Grain SA Jobs Fund
project and looks forward to harvest
his best yield ever on the 10 ha he
planted this year.
According to developing co-ordinator,
Jurie Mentz, this farmer is an excep-
tionally neat farmer. Ghsasa has always
been a real trouper, a pillar of strength
and role model in his community.
Mavis Hlatshwayo was born 55 years ago in the Pongola district.
Her mother died while she was still very young and she therefore
grew up with her grandparents. They farmed with maize, beans, veg-
etables, other crops and livestock and it was during those years that
Mavis’ passion for agriculture developed.
She joined Grain SA and became a study group member in 2005.
She regularly attends study group meetings, workshops and cours-
es organised by Grain SA.
Mavis is a member of Sizanani Society, an organisation for female
members only. They support each other and give donations to com-
munity members who are living below the bread line. This remark-
able woman dreams of access to more
land to farm on and to create job op-
portunities for the unemployed in her
community
Jerry Mthombothi, the developing co-
ordinator, says this about Mavis: ‘She
is a remarkable woman who is always
willing to learn. When you give an in-
struction to Mavis, she will do exactly
what she’s told. She is generous and
willing to share her knowledge with
the less experienced farmers in her
community.’
Simphiwe and
Vuyelwa Gumbi
Mavis Hlatshwayo
Ghsasa Dhlongolo
September 2017