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Jubilation as MEC Pieters hands over R1, 3 million shearing shed to Sterkspruit farmers

It was a jubilation filled with songs and ululations when the Eastern Cape Department of Rural Development and Agrarian Reform (DRDAR) MEC Nonkqubela Pieters handed over R1,3 million worth multi-purpose shearing shed to farmers in Sterkspruit.

Pieters used the week-long outreach programme of the Eastern Cape Legislature in Sterkspruit, known as Taking Legislature To the People to officially handover the Mfinci Noncedo multi-purpose shearing shed built by the Department as part of commercialising the province’s agriculture.

Members of the Mfici Noncedo multipurpose shed said they felt very fortunate to have this shed because they used shear their sheep in an old structure that compromised the quality of their wool clip. Member Nonkululeko Hlanjwa said: “We were forced to press and sort our wool outside because the structure was so small. Now that we have this one, everything will be done inside and that will not only improve the quality of wool but we are going to have more profit. In life you don’t have to go to town and seek employment only but you must also use land and animals to fend for yourself.”

She said their 53 member association has 23 female members, something that shows how serious women in the area took agriculture.

“As women here we are so active in agriculture and we don’t have to wait for men to send money to meet our needs. Women need to stand up and do something for themselves so that we can become financially independent. We love farming as we are able to put food on the tables of our our families and send our children to school ,” said Hlanjwa.

Deputy Chairperson of the association Ben Mpila said the association was started by their fathers in the 1970s with just 10 members but it has since grown in numbers and profitability of the business.

“At first we were just removing wool from the sheep and we didn’t know the value of the wool then. We used to sell our wool to white people who used to give us anything, including blankets but now we know the value of wool hence we are happy with this structure. We are optimistic that our wool clip will give us more profits because things were really bad,” said Mpila.

The shed was built by the Department for local wool growers who own a combined 1 190 flock of sheep. The multipurpose shearing shed consists of animal handling facilities, move able loading rail, spray dipping, wool presser, sorting tables, shears and wool quality checking machines

Pieters, who urged farmers to guard the shed provided by government because it was an investment, said farmers in the Senqu Local Municipality had good quality wool clip.

“Government wants to see returns of this investment but the money made here won’t come to government but will go to farmers. This shed should make you profits that are more than the money used to build this shed. As people start to make money (through this shed) it will not only change the lives of people in Mfinci but of Senqu Local and Joe Gqabi Municipalities and the Eastern Cape,” said Pieters.

She said she was delighted that there were young people and women involved in the ownership and management of the shed. Pieters said the unity of the people of Mfinci village made them to be able to apply for assistanceand government built them a R1,3 million worth multipurpose shed.

She said the farmers should retain the good quality of wool and aim to invest in having more sheep to realise good returns. The new shearing shed will enable farmers to improve quality of their wool clip sold to BKB, one of the local markets for wool growers in the province.

 

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