By Lebogang Mashala
This past week, I had the privilege of attending the third annual production sale of Moalosi Bonsmara at the Vryburg showgrounds in Vryburg, North West. I would like to congratulate Ntate Serapelwane on yet another successful sale and for offering high-quality animals to fellow farmers, thereby improving their genetics and helping them achieve success. I have attended this event for three consecutive years, and it has become a source of pride not only for livestock farmers in the Vryburg area but throughout the North West province. This pride is evident in the increasing number of attendees, both buyers and supporters.
I want to commend Duncan Serapelwane and his friend, Christopher “Zef” Melamu, for the hard work they have dedicated to achieving this success. Today, I can confidently call these two gentlemen pioneers in cattle breeding. Their dedication and strong ethics have brought them to where they are now, making them role models for emerging breeders. The camaraderie between them has inspired young farmers, and their high regard is reflected in every conversation among the younger generation.
Having frequented the Vryburg area over the years, I have come to appreciate the hard-working farmers in this region. Most of them began on communal land and have expanded from there, eventually acquiring farms, the majority of which were leased by the state. It seems these farmers are doing something right. There is now a glimmer of hope that we might be moving toward a more successful land reform programme. We all know that not long ago, statistics indicated an estimated 90% of land reform projects or farms had collapsed. Could we be approaching a turning point? Or perhaps I’m just hopeful?
Many smallholder farmers have consistently demonstrated they can succeed independently. I believe that by focusing on these grassroots farmers, we can change the direction of land reform from a downward trend to an upward one. Rather than providing charity, these farmers need legal land ownership and access to finance from institutions that do not discriminate against them based on possession of title. They also need roads, electricity and access to water, which are rights as citizens of this country. These farmers have demonstrated their importance to the market and the entrepreneurial value chain.
South Africa has spent billions of rand trying to create new farmers instead of supporting those who have already proved themselves. Much of this funding has gone to those with connections, primarily politicians or their relatives. If we shift our focus to individuals with a proven track record, we can channel support through various government programmes, such as the Comprehensive Agricultural Support Programme (CASP) and Blended Finance, and achieve our land reform goals more efficiently.
With assistance from successful farmers like Duncan and others, we could make more rapid progress. Many of the farmers who attended the auction and emerged as buyers, were mentored by him.
Taking a common-sense approach and selecting successful, hardworking smallholder farmers for land-reform projects will yield better results, helping them achieve success. Instead of creating new farmers and handing over productive farms to those with political connections, we should focus on diligent farmers with a proven history on communal land and place them on those farms. Most of these farmers have managed to succeed without any government support or funding.
Examples of such farmers are plentiful. Recently, African Farming highlighted two remarkable young women who exemplify this potential. Fellistus Sekgale, 29, from Sekgale Trading Enterprise in Mphanama village, Sekhukhune District, Limpopo, is a graduate and a promising agricultural entrepreneur whose vision and determination are reshaping local food systems and inspiring a new generation of farmers.
Lindiwe Motlakala, a dedicated vegetable and grain farmer in the Waterberg district of Limpopo, transformed her frustrations during the 2020 nationwide Covid-19 lockdown into a successful entrepreneurial farming plan.
We need to invest resources in these young individuals and help place them on functional farms to achieve commercial success.
