Our final Finance for Farmers workshop for the year is taking place in Nongoma in KwaZulu-Natal today. Close to 200 farmers are in attendance.
One of our speakers was Ayanda Zulu. She is a 32-year-old commercial farmer and owner of Wenzokuhle Holdings (Pty) Ltd, a 100% black-owned agricultural farm based in KwaNongoma in the Zululand district.
After a long period of unemployment, she met the first person who inspired her to start farming at a car dealership where she took her parents’ car in for service in 2016. The gentleman, who was a farmer, was there to purchase a new car – in cash!
After a conversation with the gentleman, she decided to pursue farming and never looked back. She started with nothing but today boasts a mixed operation of over 400 Beefmaster cattle and just under 70 Brahmans, indigenous goats, poultry, vegetables and grains, maize and sugar beans. She supplies Checkers and other retailers with her vegetables.
Her advice to young people:
- 1. Make it your responsibility to find information. Information is key to success in any business.
- 2. Make an effort to seek help from those who have travelled the same road. Get yourself a mentor.
- 3. Your social media page should not be used for anything else than promoting your business. Don’t go on social media to gossip and swear at people; push your work and brand – that’s your CV and blueprint.
- 4. It’s not about how much money you make, but about how much money you keep, how hard it works for you, and how many generations you keep it for.
Our Finance for Farmers workshops are proudly sponsored by Allan Gray Investment Management and John Deere Financial.
