WHAT IS THE BEST ADVICE YOU HAVE EVER BEEN GIVEN? Be your own cheerleader. How other people see you doesn’t matter; how you see yourself matters hugely. IF THERE IS ONE THING YOU COULD HAVE DONE DIFFERENTLY, WHAT WOULD IT HAVE BEEN? I wouldn’t have done anything differently. If I…

Andile Matukane took farming to the rooftops in a move that meant she could enjoy the buzz of city life while she realised her farming dreams. She grows fresh green produce on the roof of one of Africa’s largest shopping malls in Pretoria. Peter Mashala visited her there.

WHAT IS THE BEST ADVICE YOU HAVE EVER BEEN GIVEN? Don’t expose your business to high financial risk and manage your debt correctly. WAS THERE SOMETHING YOU WOULD HAVE DONE DIFFERENTLY? I would’ve gotten involved in policy lobbying work to have some influence in shaping our agricultural policy decisions. WHAT…

The political environment of the early eighties made it unthinkable for a young black man born in Mohlakeng, Randfontein to entertain any ideas of becoming a commercial farmer. But for David Mthombeni, founder of Gegana Farming, becoming a commercial farmer was a dream worth pursuing despite all the hurdles he faced. Indeed, David failed many times during his agricultural career, but he refused to give up. Now, at 56, David runs a mixed farming enterprise of broilers, cattle, small stock and grains on three farms in Mpumalanga spread over 2 162ha in Greylingstad, Standerton, and Evander. David spoke to Zolani Sinxo about the choices he has made in his life that brought him to where he is today.