In the rolling grasslands outside Bethlehem in the Free State, a remarkable story of agricultural perseverance is unfolding. Tefo Montsitsi’s family is paving way in a country where generational farming among black South Africans remains uncommon, creating a legacy that spans three generations and counting. What is more interesting is that Tefo’s second generation in farming is his two sons (33), who are twins.
By Maile Matsimela, Digital Editor at African Farming
Tefo, who has found his true calling, says farming wasn’t always his life’s work. After decades in politics and government service following the end of apartheid, Tefo made a dramatic career shift in 2016.
“After 1994, I started working for the government as a councillor and worked in different spheres of government until I left politics and began farming full-time,” Tefo explains.
What began as a hobby quickly evolved into a passion. Starting with informal livestock trading on communal land, Tefo purchased farming magazines, learning from the stories of other farmers. By 2018, he had acquired his own 5-hectare plot, which he has transformed into a surprisingly productive mixed farming enterprise.
Despite the limited space, Tefo’s farm now houses over 1 500 Dohne Merino sheep, about 100 Bonsmara cattle, layers, broilers, pigs and goats. He’s even built a chicken abattoir and meat-processing facility. Through innovative semi-intensive farming practices, he’s made the small plot more profitable than anyone could have imagined.
The real heart of this story, however, lies with Tefo’s 33-year-old twin sons, Refiloe and Releamohetse. Unlike many young South Africans who abandon rural life for urban opportunities, the twins have embraced their father’s agricultural vision, creating something exceedingly rare in South Africa: a second-generation black farming family.
Their journey into farming began in childhood, as Refiloe recalls: “We started helping our father after school, looking after egg-laying chickens, collecting eggs and going with him to auctions. He would buy calves and we would feed them milk and raise them until they reached 200-250kg, then sell them.”
After completing high school in 2010, the twins made the deliberate choice to join their father full-time on the farm. They quickly learned that while farming demands patience and long hours, it can be highly profitable when done at scale.
The twins share a unique bond that extends beyond their identical appearances. “We do everything together,” explains Releamohetse with a smile. “I remember there was a time when I wouldn’t feed the cattle if my brother wasn’t there because we always did it together.”
Refiloe nods in agreement: “When we lose animals, we mourn together. Farming isn’t just about the good times; it’s about supporting each other through the challenges too.”
Their synergy has become the backbone of the family business. While Tefo provides guidance based on his years of experience, the twins bring youthful energy and fresh perspectives to the operation.
What makes the Montsitsi story particularly compelling is that a third generation is already showing interest in the family business. Both twins have young children who are naturally drawn to farm life. Refiloe has a ine-year-old boy while Releamohetse has an eight-year-old girl.
“My girl child is still young, but already shows interest in what we do,” Releamohetse says proudly. “You can see it’s in the blood.”
Refiloe adds: “When my child sees me heading to the farm, he always wants to come along. It’s amazing to see this interest developing so early.”
This progression toward a third generation of black farmers is noteworthy in South Africa as most black farmers today are first-generation, making the Montsitsi family’s multi-generational approach both rare and inspiring.
As also previously reported in the fifth print issue of African Farming, the Montsitsi’s success stems from their innovative approach to limited resources. With just 5 hectares of owned land, Tefo has developed a semi-intensive breeding system for his sheep. The family strategically uses communal land for daytime grazing while keeping the animals on their plot at night.
During breeding periods, ewes are divided into groups of 250 with rams at a ratio of 1:20-25. When lambing approaches, pregnant ewes are moved into a maternity paddock, and after giving birth, mothers and lambs are kept in enclosures for at least 21 days before returning to grazing areas.
This careful management has resulted in an impressive 110% lambing rate with two seasons per year. Supplementary feeding is crucial to their success, with ewes receiving special pellets for three months after lambing until weaning.
The family’s diversification extends to poultry as well. “We produce day-old chicks for the farm and to sell,” Tefo explains. “We produce 2 000 birds in staggered production cycles of 500 per batch.”
Their recently built processing facility allows them to sell slaughtered chickens as portions, and they’ve hired salespeople targeting butcheries, restaurants, shisa nyamas, privately owned shops, supermarkets and individual vendors across the Free State and beyond.
Releamohetse has noticed something curious about their sheep: “Many sheep in our kraal give birth to twin lambs. Maybe it’s because we’re twins ourselves,” he jokes, though there’s a seriousness in his tone that suggests he believes there might be a deeper connection.
This observation speaks to the twins’ intimate relationship with their animals. They don’t see farming as merely a business but as a relationship with the land and livestock, a perspective likely influenced by their early exposure to farm life.
As South Africa continues to address its complex land reform challenges, the Montsitsi family offers a powerful example of what’s possible when agricultural knowledge is passed down from one generation to the next. Their story represents the potential for creating sustainable farming dynasties among black South Africans, a crucial element in transforming the country’s agricultural landscape.
With each new lamb, chick and calf born on their farm, the Montsitsis aren’t just growing livestock; they’re nurturing a legacy that challenges historical narratives and plant seeds of possibility for future generations of black farmers across the country.
