By Lebogang Mashala
Jeremiah Zakhele Sabata, a communal sheep farmer from Gqogqora A/A village near Tsomo, Eastern Cape, recently won a Merino ram and 5.8 kilograms of wool, valued at just under R1 000 based on current wool prices, after being named the overall winner at the 2nd annual Chris Hani District Municipality Wool Sheep Flock Competition.
The annual competition started last year with a group of communal farmers in Ngcobo to encourage them to enhance their livestock for wool production.
The event took place at the Ubunye Farmers’ Association’s sheep shearing facility in Gqogqora A/A, outside Tsomo, and attracted over 100 communal sheep farmers from the Chris Hani Communal Wool Growers Association. Approximately 60 sheep were entered in various categories divided into two breeds: Merino and Dohne Merinos. The competition featured five categories under each breed: rams, ewes, two-tooth, 4-6 tooth, and lamb categories.
Mthunzi Ntutela, a communal farmer and one of the event organisers, explained that the programme aims to elevate communal wool growers to new levels of success. He noted that the competition serves as a tool to assess their progress in a project they have been developing for several years. “We are slowly making progress and we take pride in having the best quality wool sheep that meet international standards,” said Ntutela.
Support And Collaboration After Failed Government Project
The competition, which began last year with a group of communal farmers in Ngcobo, was initiated to encourage them to improve their livestock as wool producers. This initiative arose from an ineffective livestock improvement project by the Eastern Cape Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, which was implemented over 20 years ago. The department funded farmers to purchase quality rams from local commercial farmers; however, many of these rams turned out to be culls, resulting in frustration among the farmers and the overall failure of the project.
After expressing his frustrations on social media, Ntutela connected with a sheep farmer in the Northern Cape, Marius Pienaar, who offered assistance. This partnership with Pienaar led to another collaboration with John Miller (Winston Sheep Group), a cattle and wool farmer from Cathcart in the Eastern Cape, who became a reliable supplier of sheep to Ntutela and other communal farmers. With support from Pienaar, Miller and BKB, these communal farmers initiated the project “Genetic Improvement on Communal Land for Commercialisation” to enhance their herd’s genetic properties.
Meeting International Standards On Communal Land
This group has established the Eastern Cape Communal Wool Growers Association (ECCWGA), which aims to develop a high-quality wool sheep farming industry that meets international standards in communal areas.
Ntutela outlined the key priorities for developing communal wool growers: Genetic improvement, infrastructure development, encouraging the participation of women and youth in wool production and processing, value-added products (such as wool and meat processing), and land tenure.
He noted the group consists of farmers from diverse backgrounds and professions. “We have police officers, doctors, teachers and other professionals, alongside ordinary community members without professional backgrounds,” Ntutela explained.
“Through this project, we have identified the types of rams needed to improve our indigenous flock to produce quality wool and mutton, based on the preferences of each communal farmer.”
As a collective, the group aspires to become professional wool growers and create job opportunities. According to Stats SA, there are 4 000 communal farmers and wool producers in the Eastern Cape. If they could commercialise their operations, it could significantly impact their rural communities, which face high levels of unemployment and poverty.
Sustainable Growth And Development
Xolisa Bomela, an executive member of the ECCWGA, indicated that the competition begins at the local level, progresses to the district level and then culminates at the provincial level.
“We aim to assess the progress we have made since we initiated the genetic improvement project as communal farmers. Over the years, we have invested in buying rams and ewes from stud breeders to improve our herd genetics. This enhances both meat and wool production. The competition serves to measure our improvements,” Bomela said.
He added that stud breeders and industry experts provide assistance. “The long-term plan is to engage in processing and have our members trained in wool sorting as part of a broader vision.”
The final phase of the competition, showcasing district winners, will take place on 10 September in the Chris Hani District Municipality, where they will compete for the provincial title.
Important Lessons Learnt
Through their journey of genetic improvement, Bomela noted several important lessons for their production activities. “In addition to focusing on animal health and nutrition and using superior genetics, we have learned the importance of synchronising production. This helps ensure that our sheep lamb during specific periods, which has proven beneficial for reducing mortality rates.”
“We synchronised our lambing season to occur between January and March because lambs born outside this timeframe often struggle to survive the dry and cold conditions, leading to higher mortality rates,” he explained.
“We have also learned to cull older, unproductive animals. Many of us previously kept older animals to maintain flock numbers, but this compromised the quality of wool and overall production. Now, we recognise the importance of prioritising quality.”
