Thriving EC forestry business brings jobs, income for villagers

Lusikiki’s MkambathiLand Trust,a forestry businessfinanciallysupported bytheEastern Capegovernmentand Sappi,hasincreased boththe numberofhectares plantedwith gum trees and jobs for locals.

Theforestry businessofthe trustwas startedin 2010and waspartly fundedwith money from the JobsFund, a programme launchedby formerPresidentJacob Zumato create jobs.

Chair ofthe trust, Danile Tonga,said about eight villages were founding members of their commercial enterprise.

“We have an agreement as these villages to develop this land for the benefit of our communities,” Tonga said.

“We have an offtakeagreement with Sappi to buy logs from usand the East Cape Rural Development Agency helpsus with funding for forestry development as the Jobs Fund investedmoney inourforestry businessin 2010.

“Weproducetrees,harvest andselltoSappi. They pay and that makes a huge difference in these villages.”

The eight villages electtwo members each to representthem on thetrust whichis responsible for the management of the forestry business and all their land, which includes the 11ha of Mkambathi NatureReserve leased to the Eastern Cape Parks and Tourism Agency.

Tonga said to grow their business they had decidedto expandedthenumber ofhectares planted with more trees in 2014.

“This expansion helped our business to grow more and thenumber of people working here increased too.”

Hesaidsomeof themoneymadebytheir business was invested inbuying a horse-andtrailer truck to deliver their logs to Sappi.

“Previously we used topay a private contractor to transport our timber to Sappi and that cost us about R186,000 per load.

“Nowthat wehave ourowntruck, wewill minusthis inourbusiness operationalcosts,” he said.

Tongasaid theyplannedtobuy asecond truck in 2024 to increasethe number of loads deliveredto Sappi,andprovide deliveryservicestootherbusinesses forthebenefitto the eight villages which own the trust.

Withabout 90employees,Tonga saidtheir business arrangement withSappi was paying off.

Both sides were benefiting.

He said people from rural villages who previously did not havemuch knowledge about government support,were nowenjoying more governmentsupport throughtheir forestry businesses.

“We sawthat itis veryimportant forus to work with government because they bring experts that advise us in this business.

“Remember, we come from where there wasnocommercialforestry andwearenow at apoint wherewe haveproduced alot in this business,” Tonga said.

“Atfirst weknewnothing aboutforestry, we just saw gum trees.

“We didnot knowthat ithas medicinal properties,that someofthe medicinalproductslikeVicks,and paperandotherproducts are made from these trees we grow.

“Through Sappi’s trainingwe succeededas they unpacked the entire value chain price for each load of logs.”

Tonga said everytime the government electedby thepeoplebrought projects,the intention was to develop communities, hence theirbusiness continuedtocreate jobopportunities for locals fromvillages under the Mkambathi Land Trust.

The trust is driving training and skills developmentfor youngpeopleemployed inthe officesand thosemanagingworkers inthe forestry fields to improve production efficiency of the business.

Tonga saidone oftheir majorprojects was theestablishment ofthehospitality schoolin Mkambathiso thatlocalyouth couldbe trainedand benefitfrom investmentsunder way in this tourism-richarea that included an injection of more thanR68m by Mkambathi Matters.

Hesaiduseof communallandforproduction was important becausewith the money from their business other members were able to start spaza shops intheir villages to make moremoney, andsend theirchildren touniversityconfident theywouldmanage topay their fees.

“This makes a hugedifference in our lives. That iswhy we wantthis projectto continue growing and we have changed the name from MkambathiForestry ProjecttoSiyaphambili Forestry Project, which wasregistered in June 2022, and this shows our business is growing,” Tonga said.

Headvised villageswherethere weretensions frustrating economicdevelopment to put their issues asideand focus on development.

“

What is important tous at Mkambathi Land Trust is that we report about the operations ofthe businessand thathelps uswhen we go to thecommunity because traditional leaders are fully aware about what is happening in the businesses,” Tonga said.

“Reportingto thecommunityis veryimportant.”

Heencouraged governmentto getcloser tofundedprojects becausesomeprojects diedwhengovernment “throws” money and leaves with no follow-ups.

Hesaid intheirbusiness theyprioritised corporate governance and they had their own accountant,auditors andlawyersso thattheir business affairs were in proper order.

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Hungry, exhaustedseamstresses wouldfall asleepover theirinadequatesewing machinesasthey pulled all-nighters to make deadline.

But those brutal days are over now thatwomen ofin theeastern part ofthe provincehave brandnew, industrial strength overlock sewing machines to ease their way.

EasternCape MECfor RuralDevelopmentand AgrarianReform(DRDAR) NonkqubelaPieters wason hand forthe occasionwhich brought hope of economic freedom to seamstresses in the OR Tambo District.

The MEC was in Mthatha Kei Fresh Produce Market onFriday to handover 32industrial andoverlock machines to 16 enterprisesin a bid to maximise theirproduction andprofits.Each businessreceived anindustrial overlock sewing machine.

Nokwakha Jico of Mzikantu

Sewing Co-opin PortSt Johnsspoke of the brutal overnighters as they

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battled to reach targets.

“Wewould literallyfall sleepon the machines.

“Now that we have these top-ofthe-rangemachines, wewon’t have to do that any more.

“Now the hunger we were fighting will be gone forever and our business will grow further and we thank the department for that,” said Jico, whose co-op has a contract with the social development department.

She said they were sewing a range of clothings,including schooluniforms and traditional gear.

Someof therecipientsincluded two enterprisesthat arerun byunemployed fashion design graduates fromWSUwho venturedintothe fashion business after they could not secure employment.

Zintle Ngcwazi, 27, who runs LikamvaLethu ClothinginMisty Mountwith fiveother youngpeople, said the investmentwould boost their business.

“I startedthe businessin 2020after I realised that I could not get a job withmyqualifications oranyother job for that matter.

“Thesemachines willboostour income because we used to battle to sew heavy materials and we had to ask for assistance from other people.

“Thatconsumed lotof ourtime and we would fail to deliver. Now that we’ve receivedthese machines, we arevery happybecause theywill assist usto completeour orderson time,” Ngcwazi said.

Another graduate Litha Mabotshwasaid shehad battledusing onedomestic machineto sewa range of clothes.

Says shestarted herbusiness while studying at university.

“I wantedto getemployment but I couldn’tbecause theemployment is not there.

“Now thatI havethese machines,

I’ll be able to do wonders and end up training and employing people.”

MEC Pieters saidthe investment by DRDAR should ensure maximum production and healthier profit. She said atthe handover: “Treat theseco-opsas businesses.Wewant you to grow your businesses.

“Municipality andgovernment will give you training where you are lacking.

“This isan investment,treat itas such and ensure there’s growth.

“Quality is very important, hence we are giving overlocks and industrial machines.

“Good quality advertises your products. If you’re producing substandard products youwill end up not getting the business.

“We are fightingpoverty and unemployment through this investment and we wantto see you become successful business people,” she said.