The Eastern Cape Communal Wool Growers Association hosted its Annual Congress today at Dr AB Xuma Local Municipality, which will be followed by a Flock Competition tomorrow at the historic Clarkebury Institution in Ngcobo
Since its founding, ECCWGA has stood as a pillar of unity and advocacy for communal wool sheep farmers across the Eastern Cape.
Representing over 10,000 rural households and caring for nearly 650,000 sheep, the Association continues to advance communal wool production through collective action, shared infrastructure and improved access to markets.
Through sustained efforts, ECCWGA promotes sustainable rural development, empowers historically disadvantaged farmers, and cultivates skills and knowledge critical to the success of the wool sector.
From shearing sheds to marketing floors, the organization strive to ensure communal farmers are not just participants but leaders in South Africa’s wool industry.
The organization renewed its commitment to key priorities that genetic improvement of flocks, youth and skills development, combating stock and wool theft, and building strong local economies through wool. The flock contest tomorrow is seen as not just a competition but it is a celebration of rural excellence, a forum of ideas, and a platform for unity.
The Eastern Cape Department of Agriculture (DoA) is committed to working with various
institutions in the sector to ensure that emerging and communal farmers gain sustainable
markets and financial investment to produce high-quality agricultural products.
Speaking at the DoA agricultural show held at Mthatha Stadium, in the OR Tambo District,
Eastern Cape MEC for Agriculture Nonceba Kontsiwe said that despite working hard to
produce, farmers were lacking the required markets and resources.
“What I have noticed here is that farmers are working hard, and we see this program
(Agricultural Show), where they display what they have produced, as a valuable way to
advance agriculture and a cornerstone for marketing their produce. I must highlight the
challenges they face now—the majority of them say they lack a market. It seems that when
they go to retailers, they are undermined by managers and owners who prefer to buy from
companies from other provinces. We want to encourage them and assist them with different
institutions to access markets.
“We know, especially with vegetables, when they are harvested, they can rot and become
a waste. So, we want to encourage them and open up opportunities for finance to help
expand their production,” Kontsiwe said.
She added that she was “happy” to see agricultural high schools participating, as agriculture
is not only important for employment after graduation but is also essential for developing
agricultural and entrepreneurial skills. Kontsiwe also expressed her pleasure that
seamstresses, who were supported by the department with industrial machines to improve
the quality of their work, were also displaying their products. She added that her dream was
to see them occupying space in clothing shops in towns.
“I am happy to see that many farmers here are women and youth. I am especially happy the
youth have joined in because they used to have a mentality that agriculture is for old,
uneducated, and dirty people, but now they are determined,” she said.
Award-winning seamstress Nobuntu Saka, who received industrial sewing machines from
the department, confirmed the positive impact of the investment. “The department has
assisted us a lot. We now train the youth and women to fight poverty,” Saka said. “We have
shops in Port St. Johns and Mthatha Airport, but we want more markets and sewing
materials. Our products are professionally made because of the machines from the department.
Nombuyiselo Mlonyeni, representing Ingquza Hill Municipality cooperatives, stated that over
100 co-ops in the municipality some involved in farming, sewing, and agro-processing are
working together for development, job creation and poverty alleviation. She highlighted their
determination to produce vegetables, livestock and fruit (processed into jam) and to produce quality fabric, but noted a lack of proper equipment, structures, fencing and water.
EASTERN Cape MEC for Agriculture, Nonceba Kontsiwe, marked the end of Women’s Month with a significant gesture, empowering AmaXhosa Queen Nonzuzo Sigcau and the women of her area of jurisdiction. During a ceremony at Nqadu Great Place in Willowvale, Kontsiwe handed over a tractor, its implements, and a Nguni bull to the Queen. This donation aims to boost agricultural development in the area creating job opportunities and enhancing food production.
The OR Tambo Department of Agriculture District held a sheep competition where municipalities from across the district came in droves to compete in the competition where farmers who are mostly supported by the department brought their quality sheep to compete and gain knowledge.
What came outstanding for winners we spoke to was taking good care of the sheep in terms of proper vaccinations, care and feed in order to get the required quality – something that was stressed during the event. They urged other sheep farmers to participate in the competition to gain knowledge and socialise with other farmers and sector stakeholder for the growth of their enterprises.
EASTERN department of agriculture commemorated the World Rabies Day (WRD) aimed at educating the communities about the deadly disease that affects dogs and cats with a potential to kill human beings if the bitten by affected pets in Bizana.
The theme for this year’s event is “ACT NOW: You, Me, Community” and each year, on September 28, the world unites to raise awareness and take action for rabies elimination.
According to the Rabies Alliance this theme emphasizes individual and collective responsibility in the global effort to eliminate rabies by focusing on preventing its spread through dog-mediated transmission.
School children from different schools in the area made various preparations on how to prevent the disease.
YOUNG FARMER HOUNERED BY MEC KONTSIWE AS THE BEST PERFORMING FEMALE ENTREPRENUER IN THE PROVINCE IN 2025
A young farmer and agro-processer from Bizana came tops during the annual Women Entrepreneur Awards (WEA) where the MEC for the Eastern Cape Department of Agriculture (DoA) Nonceba Kontsiwe awarded top performing women in the sector. Kontsiwe awarded women who are contributing in the economic development and job creation through the agricultural value chain a bid to empower, recognise, encourage participation and honour women in sector. The 30-year-old Nandipha Sodwele owns Nolandumbinda Projects Pty (Ltd) Mill that processes maize into maize meal and sells harmony chop which is by-product to animal feed manufactures and livestock farmers. The enterprise first came tops in the agro-processing category before it was named the overall winner the ceremony held at Abbotsford Christian Centre in East London on Friday (subs: 15 Aug. 25) where she won a combined prize of R100 000. Her milling plant has serviced the local community and the surrounding community of Bizana as far as Flagstaff, Holy Cross and Ingquza Hill areas since 2014. Nolandumbinda production operation has successfully established itself as a vital contributor to local food security and employment through creating of 3 permanent and 16 temporary and seasonal jobs. Her market includes livestock farmers, Hello Choice and One Farm Share Supermarkets in Bizana as well as Majazi Primary School and Mzamba Combined School through the Department of Education Nutrition Programme and other retail shops at Bizana. She produces yellow maize and green beans in 22 ha of land and the company buys from local producers to keep their milling plant running and profitable.
The aim to upgrading production capacity of a mill by increasing from the current 365 kg per hour to 2 tons per hour production of maize meal as well as increasing yellow maize production from 22ha to 50 ha within the next 5 years with the aim of total commercialization, Sodwele said. “I am very excited to be recognised by the department for the hard work I put in this enterprise and this will motivate me to do more. I was now worried about the production inputs for this planting season and I will use some of the money I have won here to buy them as well as growing my agro processing business,” said Sodwele. Despite that Sodwele is a qualified artist, her love for agriculture got the better of her because she grew up in a family that practised both agro-processing and farming hence she followed their footsteps. She said while there were many challenges it was “lucrative business that need patience and resilience,” hence she urged youth especially women to venture into the sector, MEC Kontsiwe said women were being celebrated “not just as participants in a programme, but as leaders, pioneers, and change-makers in a sector that too often overlooks the contributions of women.” “These awards are not simply a celebration of individual achievement; they are a signal to the rest of the country that women in agriculture are ready to lead from the front. “In a time when our economy needs new growth drivers, women farmers have already shown that they can turn small opportunities into thriving enterprises, and local challenges into global market advantages. You are not waiting for change — you are making it happen,” Kontsiwe added. Kontsiwe said the society has a duty to ensure young people understood the importance of the agriculture value chain and that the role of women in the industry huge, adding that the government was committed to creating conditions for the agriculture sector to thrive and prosper Other winners included:
Idealveg Trading (Pty) Ltd led by Zanele Matikinca of Mthatha who is supplying a wide range of fresh and chopped vegetables to local restaurants, hospitals and events. Matikinca won in the best commercial entrepreneur category, walking away with R50 000.
PUFESO Agri Enterprise in Engcobo that is supplying fresh vegetables to stores like Boxer Engcobo, Super Spar Engcobo, New Rest Engcobo, all PACINA Spar Group in Mthatha and the surrounding community. They are selling eggs to restaurants including Elonwabo Pub and Grill, 50/50 Lounge as well as schools, government offices, hawkers and locally. PUFESO won in the best small holder category, walking away with R50 000.
Naudeshoek Farm from Ngqushwa that produces citrus fruit that is exported to the EU, UK, Middle East, Canada, China and Russia and sell to local fresh produce markets in Johanessburg, Durban, Bloemfontein, Tshwane market, PMB market, East London, King Williams Town as well as local hawkers. They won in the best export category, walking away R50 000.
The best performing district was OR Tambo and the total prize money won by farmers was R290 000.
