Marking Provincial Youth Month, Premier Mabuyane and MEC Kontsiwe officially handed over 6 tractors to emerging young farmers, enhancing their capacity to boost agricultural productivity and contribute to provincial food security. This initiative underscores the government’s commitment to empowering youth in agriculture and fostering sustainable economic growth.
The Deputy Minister of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment Bernice Swarts recently led the Eastern Cape Small-Scale Fisheries Summit in Mthatha, OR Tambo District. This summit focused on strengthening cooperatives, addressing sector challenges and empowering communities through oceans economy. The event brought together fishers, funders and government departments to find practical solutions for the small-scale fisheries.
DRDAR Cancer Awareness
Eastern Cape Department of Rural Development and Agrarian Reform Goes Pink for Breast Cancer Awareness
The Eastern Cape Department of Rural Development and Agrarian Reform (DRDAR) embarked on a comprehensive Breast Cancer Awareness Drive to educate and mobilise staff.
The initiative included the Desktop Awareness Campaign where DRDAR staff desktops were transformed with a pink Cancer Awareness graphic, spreading awareness and solidarity and a 5km Fun Run.
Today, the Employee Wellness section organized a successful 5km Fun Run from Dukumbana Building to Bisho Showgrounds, promoting physical activity and cancer awareness.
The aim of the awareness is to educate staff on breast cancer risks, symptoms, and prevention, encourage early detection and screening and also. To demonstrate DRDAR’s commitment to employee wellness.
DRDAR MEC Nonceba Kontsiwe, emphasized the importance of collective action in combating breast cancer. “Early detection saves lives, and we must support those affected.”Further encourage employees to make use of home gardens so that people can be able to produce food for themselves in that way they can eliminate the cancer by eating healthy.
Employee Wellness Deputy Director Lindelwa Matshoba said “Each year the department run a comprehensive campaign on breast cancer. As Employee Wellness it is our duty to ensure that the affected receive support and even those that are affected are given the necessary knowledge.
Thozama Ntshokoma one of the breast cancer survivors in the department gave employees signs and symptoms to look at and contentiously visit health care facilities. She also added that as a person that was diagnosed with breast cancer it is important for you as a person to accept the health condition and follow doctors’ orders on what to eat and drink most important to take the medication given as directed.
The economy of Bumbane has received a significant boost thanks to a generous donation from the
Eastern Cape Department of Rural Development and Agrarian Reform (DRDAR).
Yesterday (SUBS: Monday18 November), DRDAR MEC Nonceba Kontsiwe officially handed over a
fully equipped tractor to elated Queen Nokwanda Dalindyebo at the Bumbane Great Place, outside
Mthatha. This donation is expected to revitalize the area’s agricultural sector, creating much-needed
job opportunities. The tractor, equipped with a moldboard plough, disc plough, potato planter, and
potato harvester, is poised to revolutionize farming practices in the region.
In her 2024/25 policy speech, MEC Kontsiwe highlighted the department’s commitment to
supporting land cultivation and encouraging food production. The department aims to establish rural
food hubs where subsistence and home-based vegetable producers can collect, store, and process
their produce for local markets and government nutrition programs.
The MEC acknowledged the challenge of food insecurity in the province and highlighted the
department’s strategy of collaborating with traditional leaders to effectively reach communities. By
entrusting this valuable resource to the King, the department aims to not only ensure subsistence
farming but also stimulate commercial agriculture.
“We observed that we have a challenge of food insecurity in the province…in addressing that we
have resolved to work with traditional leaders to make our work of reaching communities easier.
We have entrusted this resource to the King because he knows what his people need. Our aim is
to not only ensure that they cultivate their land for subsistence farming but that they produce food
for commercial markets,” MEC Kontsiwe said.
Moreover, Bumbane has been identified as a key location for establishing a Potato Hub in the OR
Tambo District. A group of 20 farmers, including King Buyelekhaya Dalindyebo, who owns 20
hectares of agricultural land, will form a commercial potato enterprise to supply the Kei Fresh
Produce Market in Mthatha.
Speaking to the media after receiving the tractor keys, Queen Nokwanda expressed her gratitude
for the donation. She emphasized that the tractor would breathe new life into the Bumbane
community, reviving agricultural activities that had declined since the King’s incarceration in 2016.
“With this donation, we hope that the 300 job opportunities will not only be restored but
surpassed, bringing prosperity back to our community. She emphasized King Zwelibanzi’s belief in
the power of agriculture and his commitment to utilizing the machinery to revitalize the sector.
Queen Nokwanda shared a poignant story of an elderly woman who used to work at the Great
Place and is now struggling to survive on a social grant. She also expressed hope that the
community’s fortunes would change with continued support from the government and the private
sector.
Maralese Nonkonana’s eyes lit up as she received two brand-new industrial sewing machines from
the Department of Rural Development and Agrarian Reform (DRDAR) on behalf of her
cooperative Masiphathisane Clothing at a handover ceremony held in Graaff-Reinet, Beyers Naude
Local Municipality yesterday (SUBS: WEDNESDAY 20 NOVEMBER).
This initiative is part of DRDAR’s continued efforts to foster the growth of small business textile
enterprises enabling them to produce high-quality garments and generate sustainable income. By
providing the necessary tools and support, the DRDAR aims to stimulate job creation and
economic development within the province.
Hailing from the small town of Steytlerville in Beyers Naude Municipality with a population of less
than 5000, Nonkonana’s fortunes and six other members of the cooperative will change for the
better thanks to DRDAR’s generous donation.
“I’m thrilled to receive these sewing machines. They will enable us to take our business to the
next level, create jobs, and contribute to the growth of the local economy.
“Currently we only have one sewing machine in the cooperative and we use that to supply local
clients including the local primary school. With these new machines, we will be able to produce
more clothing items and hopefully we are going to get more clients now including government
departments,” added Nonkonana.
She said to them, the sewing machines are more than just equipment – they’re a key to unlocking
her cooperative’s full potential.
Nokholekile Hermans hailed the Department for the donation saying the seven families
represented by each member of the cooperative will change for the better.
“We will now be able to send our children to school. These will assist us to feed our families as
we will now generate more income,” Hermans said.
Since 2017, the department has supported 976 clothing and textile cooperatives/businesses,
benefiting 4,234 individuals. More than R25m has been invested in providing industrial machines
and materials to primarily women, youth, and people with disabilities.
In the current financial year, the Department has allocated more than R2,2m for the procurement
of sewing machines to support 103 cooperatives across all six districts and two metros in the
province.
Speaking at the handover, DRDAR MEC Nonceba Nkontsiwe said the department wanted the
beneficiaries to improve the quality of their work and become commercial business people.
“I want to encourage you to move forward and become sustainable because you cannot always
depend on government. One day you should open your own shops or supply commercial clothing
retail stores” Kontsiwe said.
She added that government wanted to empower women and liberate them from becoming
dependent to men. She expressed joy that that most beneficiaries were women, saying this will
assist them to grow their enterprises