By Zolani Sinxo
Limpopo businesswoman, academic and pastor Dr Patience Mlengana is revolutionising South Africa’s poultry industry, transforming her family’s small chicken farming enterprise into a force in the sector. As the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of PMM Agri, she has expanded production exponentially while championing empowerment and transformation across the broiler production value chain.
Starting with a modest operation producing 40 000 chickens per cycle, Dr Mlengana has grown the business to 350 000 chickens per cycle. This remarkable growth was made possible by funding from the Industrial Development Corporation (IDC), an agency of the Department of Trade, Industry and Competition. The support forms part of the government’s Poultry Master Plan, an initiative to increase local production, create jobs, and reduce South Africa’s reliance on chicken imports. PMM Agri is one of 14 companies benefiting from nearly R1.3 billion in investments through the plan, which has already created over 850 jobs.
Dr Mlengana’s entrepreneurial journey is deeply rooted in her upbringing. Her parents, Ben and Rosina Mhlari, established a chicken farm in Tzaneen, using its income to fund her education. She holds a PhD in Leadership and Management, a Master’s in Information Science, and a BA in Social Sciences. Despite early success in the real estate and telecommunications industries, she was drawn back to her family’s farming legacy.
“When my parents passed away, I couldn’t let their hard work be forgotten,” she says. “Their dedication to the business paid for my education and shaped who I am. Honouring their legacy by growing the farm became my life’s mission.”
Dr Mlengana’s determination has led her to expand the farm to seven state-of-the-art chicken houses, each housing 50,000 birds. She is now embarking on a further expansion, adding 18 additional houses to increase production to over 1.2 million chickens per cycle. This growth will meet growing demand and create more employment opportunities for the local community, where she already provides jobs for 15 permanent and 30 temporary workers.
Beyond her business achievements, Dr Mlengana is a vocal advocate for deeper transformation in the poultry industry. While she acknowledges the positive impact of the Poultry Master Plan, she believes more support is needed to empower black entrepreneurs to participate across the entire value chain, from breeding and hatcheries to processing and milling.
“The demand for chicken in South Africa far exceeds supply, so we still import over 500 000 tonnes annually. We reduce this gap by empowering black businesspeople to gain a foothold in every industry segment.”
