Business

The newly released bills amending the Labour Relations Act and the Basic Conditions of Employment Act offer more clarity to questions surrounding the future of labour brokers in South Africa. Jan du Toit, Senior Labour Law Consultant at SA Labour Guide, highlights key amendments.

Andy Tladi was 53 when he swapped the life of a business executive for full-time farming – on the land he once ploughed as a small boy. Today, eight years later, his business has grown to four farms, one of which is in the Republic of Congo. Lindi van Rooyen reports.

In the Great Karoo you will encounter roughly one human for every 100 sheep, but Francy and Peter Schoeman from Langbaken farm near Williston are breaking the mould with their small herd of Jersey cows and cheesery. Denene Erasmus visited them.

Today’s high cost of living sometimes means that a single income source just doesn’t cut it. Sigrid Lemmer turned to part-time meat rabbit production. She talks to Lloyd Phillips.

Theo de Jager stands at a crossroads. He can choose to sell his farm to one of 16 land claimants or he can fight to stay in business. Does Theo’s inside angle, as Agri SA’s deputy president and head of the portfolio committee on land reform, make him more or less inclined to sell? Lindi van Rooyen reports.

In 1974, the Brak River, a tributary of the Great Fish River near Cradock was transformed from a tiny stream into a fast-flowing river when water from the Orange-Fish Tunnel was released into it. This has allowed the Colletts of Grassridge Farm to produce 52kW of three-phase electricity from cross-flow turbines. Mike Burgess reports.

A group of subsistence farmers in a remote coastal area of Eastern Cape is turning to lemon grass and essential oil production – and finding a ready market. Robyn Joubert reports.

Andy and Sheryl Duthie pay careful attention to every aspect of their mixed farming operation in Northern Cape. They also involve their three children in the enterprise, running profitable mini-businesses in goats and poultry. Heather Dugmore visited the family.

In the heart of the Southern Drakensburg’s dairy production area, Creighton Dairies, a milk transporter, has taken a bold step into processing by setting up a multi-million rand UHT plant. Robyn Joubert reports.

In an area suffering from poverty and unemployment, Aredirisaneng Agricultural Co-operative in Randfontein is a shining light. This 10-women co-operative, established with funding from First Uranium Ezulwini Mine and receiving expert mentoring, is already exceeding its vegetable production targets. Peter Mashala reports.

When Farmer’s Weekly visited Kobela Mokgohlwa in 2010, he farmed hydroponically with tomatoes and green peppers in three tunnels, and had a small feedlot. But things have since changed. Peter Mashala investigates.

As most farmers already have too much to deal with every day, a silage harvesting contractor can ease this burden and save the farmer money. Contractor Justin Nel tells Lloyd Phillips what such a service entails.

Part-time sheep farmer, and managing director of the International School of Tanning Technology in Grahamstown, Dr Clive Jackson-Moss, talks about the hides and skins industry.

Patrick and Sarah Buda began farming late in life. In a few short years, and backed by the Ekurhuleni Peermont Chambers of Commerce Trust, they’ve already begun supplying Pick n Pay with produce. Peter Mashala interviewed them.

Elize van Greunen supplies quails and pickled quail eggs to a niche market.

Increasing the productivity of traditional chickens is an easy way of providing food and income for rural families. Dr Ed Wethli spoke to Robyn Joubert about the success of the Umzimkhulu village chicken improvement project.

Instead of competing against each other, small-scale farmers should work together to earn more.

Mahuhudi Masipa of Zuurbekom in Johannesburg’s West Rand left the corporate world to become a pig farmer in 2009. She says farming is a business just like any other and should be approached as such. Peter Mashala spoke to her.

Award-winning farmer Steve Botha has managed to remain successful in the niche market he created through innovation, extending his product range, maintaining a close relationship with his clients and growing baby vegetables and herbs that are hard to find in SA.

While many farmers try to grow their enterprises as big as possible, this goat cheese business is staying small – and it’s thriving, thanks to its location. Robyn Joubert reports.