Publisher

When the Department of Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development (DALRRD) conducted a workshop in the Mpofana Local Municipality, in KwaZulu-Natal in 2019 to encourage young people to start household gardens in their communities, a group of five friends decided to start a cooperative after the training.

Abalimi Multipurpose Primary Cooperative is currently farming four of 12 hectares of land zoned for agriculture, which they are leasing from local community members.

While the floods that battered large parts of KwaZulu-Natal in 2022 caused damage amounting to billions of rands and claimed lives, the event also opened the doors of opportunity for a despondent young man. 

In just over a year after those fateful events, the 34-year-old went from being unemployed for over five years to producing decorative furniture for one of the country’s leading retailers.

The government has resolved to adopt a two-step approach in implementing the analogue switch-off as part of the Broadcast Digital Migration programme. 

Boikano Sikwane (46) believes that it is important for South Africans to buy locally produced goods so that more jobs can be created and the economy can improve.

Sikwane is the owner of Chuck Chilli, a proudly South African company that produces a chilli condiment sold throughout the country.

From humble beginnings in her garage, Sikwane’s company now has 12 employees who work at the company factory three times a week.

“In a country where unemployment is so high, I wish that people could understand that by choosing a local product, we could save and make jobs.”

A Soweto-born University of Mpumalanga student’s journey to entrepreneurship is well on course, thanks to a comprehensive cellphone repair programme that is already helping him earn a living while getting through his studies. 

Khumbulane Phakathi (20) is one of the 149 beneficiaries of the National Electronic Media Institute of South Africa’s (NEMISA) Cell Phone Repairs Training Programme.

A 29-year-old Masters in Chemistry graduate and former bursary holder from the Department of Water and Sanitation (DWS) has taken it upon himself to become a torchbearer for young professionals who want to join the sector to help find lasting solutions to the country’s water challenges.

From the Union Buildings

As countries around the world work to reduce carbon emissions, there is great potential for South Africa to establish and develop new industries.

For us, reducing our carbon footprint is critical to the health and well-being of our people, the sustainability of our society and ensuring that our goods and services remain competitive into the future. At the same time, it is a great opportunity to grow and diversify our economy and create employment.

The Nelson Mandela Foundation has called on the world to unite and act against climate change and food insecurity by planting trees, establishing or working in community and home-based food gardens as part of Mandela Day 2023.

Chief Operating Officer of the Green Development Foundation, Talifhani Tshitwamulomoni, said, “We cannot end climate change, but we can mitigate its devasting effects.”