While the rest of SA experiences a severe egg shortage, five rural Eastern Cape women who run their own egg-producing co-operative say they are ready to step in and save the day at least in their hometown Mthatha and its surrounds. Ikamva Le Ncise Primary Co-operative was founded in 2017 by Ncise villagers Kholeka Maliphale, her daughter Faith Maliphale, who acts as treasurer, daughter-in-law Gcotyiswa Maliphale and their neighbours Fikiswa Dube and Thulisa Gxagxisa.
Vivian Dafeti, the widow of respected Mthatha businessman Zibele Dafeti, has vowed to continue the many community building projects they started 17 years ago. She was all smiles when DispatchLIVE (http://www.dispatchlive.co.za) visited one of their farming initiatives. Dafeti has found purpose amid grieving for her husband, who was gunned down two months ago outside one of his businesses in KwaLink village.
First published in the Daily Maverick 168 weekly newspaper.
Hit by difficult economic times and a provincial unemployment rate hovering around 47%, the Libode district in the OR Tambo District Municipality in the Eastern Cape is a tough place to live.
Most people in the area feed their families by subsistence farming on communal land, and a six-year-old agricultural project run by a group of military veterans is helping to make a difference in their fight against poverty and desperation.
The Iringa Multipurpose Co-Operative, run by veterans of uMkhonto weSizwe (MK)and other military organisations, was set up in 2015.
Jongilizwe Mbovane, the chair of the co-operative, said the project began with five military veterans assisting learners around Libode with school uniforms.