A marine pilot.
That is what Kholeka Gama planned to become when she was younger, but her maths marks in matric in 2018 were not good enough to study what she wanted.
She then decided to improve her marks and study towards a chemical engineering qualification, doing her Ns.
“I didn’t like it and thankfully there is a liquor store at home, so I worked there. My dad has 65 cows and I started working on the farm too. While I worked at my dad’s store, I saved enough money to buy my own animals. I bought 30 piglets.”
She had done an animal production course, and she was then exposed to different farms while doing her practicals.
“I fell in love with pigs,” she laughs.
While pigs are considered to be filthy animals, Kholeka (24) says they do not have to be.
“My pigs are so clean though. It is important to be make sure that you clean their space every day and you must make sure that there is proper drainage so that they stay clean.”
Read more | Drum Top 50 Inspiring Women | Actress Keke Mphuthi doing poultry farming for financial freedom
She is in the process of constructing her own farm.
Kholeka buys piglets at 11 weeks, raises them until they are 22 and takes them to the abattoir for slaughter.
“I get the carcasses and take them to the butcher and get them ready for distribution. Some are bought by walk in, other are bulk orders, wholesalers and shisanyamas.
“Every three weeks, I slaughter 30 pigs, so in a three-week cycle, I have 90 pigs.”
Not many young people choose to live the life Kholeka lives, but she believes a balance can be achieved.
“I live a balanced life. There are days that I get dressed up and go out from time to time. Then I spend most of my days on the farm getting dirty.
“I will be honest, at first this life was not fulfilling. I yearned for the corporate world like my peers. Now I look forward to going to the farm, raising my pigs and getting dirty. I have to say that it has not been an easy adjustment.”
The major challenge in her business was water.
Read more | Drum Top 50 Inspiring Women | ‘It simply starts with one seed’ – Award-winning farmer Andile Matukane
“I initially did not understand what I needed to make sure that the business runs as well as it should. Water was a major thing because I did not have enough water. I then got water tanks. I do not have a vehicle for the business and then I hire one as and when I need it. Another thing about pigs is that they eat, hey. I buy the feed in bulk because I always have to make sure there is enough for all of them.”
She does the hard physical labour and says her business partner, Sandile Ntini, is the firm foundation of the business.
“It is good and well for me to want to raise the pigs and want to buy this and that for the farm, but Sandile is there to work on the figures and let me know what is possible and what isn’t. He handles the admin and finances and makes sure the business grows.”
She says a lot of people do not appreciate the work done by farmers.
“Ukudla kuphuma la kithina (food comes from us). Lockdown was clear and showed all of us that farmers are the key. You may work in a fancy office, but you still need food.
