By Lucille Botha
From caretakers to commercial flower farmers, the Mxokozeli family near Elim in the Overberg is building a thriving fynbos enterprise – one protea stem at a time. With teamwork, tenacity, and support from state and industry partners, they are planting the seeds of long-term success.
When Justice Mxokozeli looks out over the land his family leases from the state near Elim in the Overberg, he sees more than rows of cultivated fynbos. He sees the blood, sweat, and relentless determination that he, his two sisters, and their uncle have poured into transforming this rugged terrain into a thriving flower farm that supplies the local bouquet trade and international export markets. They also run a mixed livestock operation, farming with 290 head of cattle and sheep.
Justice, who went on to study at the Elsenburg Agriculture Training Institute, tells African Farming, “I grew up in the Eastern Cape looking after cattle, and that is where my passion for agriculture started.”
The family’s farming journey began in 2006, when Justice’s uncle, Michael Mxokozeli, then a bus driver for Gaffley’s in Grabouw, bought two sows. That small venture grew into a 30-pig operation. Encouraged to find land, they were initially moved to Riverside Farm near Bredasdorp as caretakers.
Michael applied for a bank loan, but when he did not meet their requirements, he turned to the Department of Rural Development and Land Affairs and applied for a farm through the Proactive Land Acquisition Strategy (PLAS). The family business, Iqhude Supply and Farming (Pty) Ltd., which consists of Michael, Justice, and his two sisters, Phosiza and Thandiwe, was selected from fifty applicants. Initially, they signed a one-year lease in 2016, followed by a thirty-year lease agreement with an option to buy.
Since 2019, the Western Cape Department of Agriculture, through the Comprehensive Agricultural Support Programme (CASP), has invested nearly R5 million in infrastructure, equipment, and farming inputs. The Deciduous Fruit Producers Trust (DFPT) provided vital financial support to procure plant material. At the same time, Cape Flora SA, the fynbos cut-flower industry association, supplied them with a computer, fertigation tanks, and consultation services from a fynbos expert.
“When you apply for a farm from the government, you list your goals, but you don’t always get what you expect, which throws off your plans,” Justice says. Nevertheless, we keep moving forward and setting new goals.”
Shifting strategy
Initially, the family wanted to farm cattle, sheep and cash crops. But they quickly realised that the 1 235-hectare Riverside Farm’s 330 hectares of arable land were too limited for grain production.
“Cash crops just weren’t sustainable for us,” Justice says. “We wouldn’t even be able to replace our implements.”
Noticing the abundance of natural fynbos on the farm, they planted 0.5 hectares of proteas under irrigation in 2017. The results were promising.
“Seeing how well the plants performed encouraged us to expand,” Justice says.
Today, the family cultivates 5 hectares of market-ready Cape flora cultivars, including Sylvia, Carnival Too, Pink Ice and Sharonet. Their goal is to expand to 16 hectares, increasing by one hectare each year.
Variety selection is conducted with a focus on market demand. Dr Gerhard Malan, an agricultural advisor whose services to Iqhude are sponsored by Cape Flora SA, assists with cultivar choice, pest management, and production practices.
“We rely on Gerhard because he has a broad overview of what’s in demand and what grows well in our conditions,” Justice explains.
Iqhude now operates its own nursery, propagating new plants from cuttings. The team plants these in July after the winter rains, carefully managing weed control, fertilisation, and pest pressure to produce vigorous plants with vibrant blooms.
To improve cash flow, they stagger cultivars to extend the harvest window as long as possible. Sylvia starts as early as July and continues into March. Pink Ice is harvested from January to March, while Carnival Too is picked from March to mid-May.
Learning by doing
Despite his academic training, Justice admits the early days were tough.
“I didn’t know how to drive a tractor or spray crops. I had to learn everything on the job. It was incredibly difficult, and I never knew whether I was doing it right or wrong. But I survived, and now I feel much more confident.”
Gerhard says the Mxokozeli’s farm is “well-managed” and poised for growth.
“If their finances allow, they will become a trusted supplier of quality products.”
Managing cash flow
Commercial banks don’t accept lease agreements as collateral, so cash flow is a recurring challenge for the family.
“Everything we have achieved until now has been reinvested into the farm to enable us to expand. It is not easy, as you still need to pay for fertiliser and labour, regardless of your cash flow. But the light at the end of the tunnel is getting brighter.”
Their 250 Dohne-Merino ewes and 40 Bonsmara cows provide a crucial income stream while the proteas mature.
“Proteas are a long-term crop – it takes three years before you can harvest, and full production only comes in year four,” explains Justice. “The livestock, which we sell to the abattoir in town, helps carry us in the meantime.”
They still receive government funds, but the stream is dwindling as their crop increases. Another growing challenge is climate change.
“Our rainfall is increasingly uneven. We sometimes experience excessive rain falling too rapidly, which waterlogs the soil and leads to plant dieback. We had to install drainage systems to protect the proteas.”
Toward a brighter future
Eight permanent staff and some extra seasonal workers handle the harvest. Iqhude sells batches of flowers to Kosie Lourens of Napier for local bouquets and supplies Intaba Flowers, which exports African flowers to Europe (the Netherlands) and the United States. For Intaba, they pack the proteas in boxes to be airfreighted.
Hopefully, this winter, plans are underway to create bouquets for retailers such as Woolworths and Spar once the packing tables and equipment arrive.
“It will reduce waste and increase our profits. We have a variety of cultivars that we can combine in the bouquets. It will also reduce waste because we can use every stem.”
By 2026/27, the family hopes to export directly under the Iqhude brand.
We have made it this far and plan to establish our own facility and export to the international market. Cape Flora SA has been instrumental in exposing us to the export value chain and the commercial role players involved,” says Justice.
Kosie is optimistic about their chances. “I’ve grown close to Justice, Phosiza and Thandiwe. They’re driven, positive, and hungry to learn.”
RIGHT: Phosiza Mxokozeli (front), Jacky Goliath (middle), and Thandiwe Mxokozeli are in the nursery. Jacky is Cape Flora SA’s transformation representative and a fellow small farmer. Her advice to the Mxokozeli family is to address marketing, ensure accurate cost estimates, and focus on networking and relationship-building within the industry.
Teamwork makes the dream work
Working together as a family has never been a problem for three siblings.
We each have our responsibilities on the farm, whether it is to manage the shed, the office, the farm, or the nursery. It makes our jobs easier because everyone has a specific role to focus on, and we support each other. We understand each other, and because we are working towards the same goal, we never differ, “says Justice.”
Phosiza oversees the fields and admits it’s been hard to watch friends and family progress faster in bigger towns and cities.
“But I love what I do, and it has made me resilient. You can put me down in a desert, and I will survive. No day is the same, and being part of something that went from zero to hundreds of beautiful flowers makes everything worth it.”
Thandiwe is in charge of the nursery tunnels and admin.
I love waking up in the morning knowing I can create jobs for people. It feels good to put bread on someone’s table.
The Mxokolezi family’s biggest dream is to own Riverside Farm outright – and they are prepared to work hard for it.
“Banks don’t accept our lease. A title deed will allow us to access finance and buy a second farm. That’s our goal – to grow, expand, and own more than two farms,” Justice says.
To achieve this, they adhere to the words of their former mentor, Chris van Schalkwyk, who also assisted them with planning and systems.
“He told us to never stop with what we started with. You must believe in yourself and not get distracted when times are tough. Sometimes you doubt yourself, but believing in yourself and working hard is crucial, and everything will come at the right time.”
From a pair of pigs to export-grade proteas, the Mxokozeli family has built their future stem by stem, anchored by teamwork, resilience and an unwavering belief that their dream is worth the effort.
Enquiries: Justice Mxokozeli, 082 938 9841.
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