Rural insight

As drought grips many parts of South Africa, it has again become clear how vulnerable rural communities are to weather extremes. Mike Burgess travelled through the southern Free State and northern Eastern Cape and reports on the dry conditions and devastating fires that have pushed communities to the limit.

In the last days of their independence in the highlands of the Eastern Cape, Lesotho and KwaZulu-Natal, the Bushmen became stock thieves and integrated domestic livestock into their rock art and spiritual beliefs, writes Mike Burgess.

Garnering support from government, industry and the community has helped ease Khanyisile Mkhanyawo’s transition from agricultural newcomer to commercial farmer.

Prof Lumkile Nkuhlu, former president Thabo Mbeki’s economic advisor, and his wife Nondima, farm near Vrede in the Free State. Diversification has enabled them to improve their cash flow and create jobs. Peter Mashala reports.

The horse arrived in the Eastern Cape with the first Europeans during the 1700s, and by the late 1800s had become a central part of Xhosa life. The desire to know whose horse was the fastest fuelled a tradition of racing among the Xhosa that has survived to this day. Mike Burgess spent a day at the races in the village of Theko in the former Transkei.

Namibia is suffering its worst drought in 30 years. This is not only affecting grain and livestock production but has left 34% of the population, in southern Africa’s driest country, in need of urgent food support. Carine van Vuuren reports.

Combining quantity surveying and farming is highly unusual. But for Joachim Prinsloo, Agri Mpumalanga’s Young Farmer of the Year 2013, it has made all the difference. Lindi van Rooyen visited his farm in Kiepersol.

The Eastern Free State region bordering Lesotho is both dramatic and charming, with its huge sandstone cliffs, orchards, grain crops and livestock-dotted landscape. But, as Mike Burgess writes, there is an anarchic side to this region as cross-border crime continues to erode the fabric of commercial farming, despite a lengthy legal battle between organised agriculture and the state.

Darling wine farmer Peter Duckitt sees the future of farming in diversification. Wine grapes form the basis of his operation, with wheat, beef, conservation and tourism spreading risk and ensuring an income throughout the year. Jay Ferreira reports.

Dakalo Magwede left a teaching career to farm cattle full time. Working hard to prove herself in this male-dominated business, she has been honoured as the Limpopo Female Farmer of the Year – not just once, but twice. Peter Mashala spoke to her.

Part 1: The upper river

Traditional Xhosa sticks cut from the umnquma tree (African wild olive) are increasingly difficult to find in the Eastern Cape where communities are rapidly urbanising at the cost of certain traditional customs. Mike Burgess spoke to East London businessman and traditional stick collector, Gary Harvey, about his journey to locate and support remaining stick crafters.

One doesn’t get many truly fascinating weeks, but I’ve just enjoyed one. I thought it would be a nice idea to walk the length of the Jukskei River.

More and more farms are being bought solely for lifestyle purposes, as an escape from city life. This could soon see a farm’s selling price based not only on its production value, but also on ‘aesthetics’. Lindi van Rooyen reports.

Eking out a living from the land can sometimes become too difficult and the struggle to survive can be a challenge for even the toughest farmer. But dairyman Cyril Mhlatshana is not prepared to give up. Lloyd Phillips reports.

Part 2 of our selection of poems about life on the land in southern Africa.

In a few months it will be a hundred years since the coming into effect of the Native Land Act, and the universities are frothing with activity as Phd candidates submit conference papers on “social protection measures and labour markets in Oranjia,” “unfair use of secret carp bait on the Hennops River” and the like, and 99% of these papers, petitions and reports simply add to the confusion of the already convoluted and painful ‘land question’.

The old saying that the only difference between men and boys is the price of their toys was apparent at the latest SA Model Tractor Association (SAMTA) gathering in Bothaville. Annelie Coleman spoke to collectors about the passion of model tractor collecting and the joy it brings them.

Usually considered a time to relax and pursue one’s interests outside the working world, retirement has not been so for Nixon Tenza. He’s probably working harder now, as a farmer, than he did when he was a full-time trucker. Lloyd Phillips reports.

Starting as a learnership programme, the Bana ba Kgwale vegetable project has grown into a viable agricultural operation that has brought fallow land back into production and created much-needed jobs to an area plagued by poverty and unemployment. Peter Mashala visited the farmers.