Mabaso’s relocation impasse resolved

Alexandra’s exemplary organic farmer Violet Mabaso who was in a quandary, finally relocated to the Joburg City Council’s Eikenhof Farm, south of Johannesburg.

The plight of Mabaso of Molobanyana Co-op was reported in Alex News’ Mabaso’s plans dashed, Week ending 6 November, after she was disallowed entry to the farm by its management. This despite official permission by the council for her to relocate to the place from her current operation at Lenin Garden in Tsutsumani as part of her expansion plan. She had to return after being disallowed to place her R9 000 worth Wendyhouse equipped with electricity connections meant for her office work and for agro-processing. The matter was resolved with the assistance of Region E director Liziwe Makoro-Ntshinga enabling her to re-transport the Wendy house to the new one-hectare site which adds to her current 1400m² plot at the garden which she shares with many others in a confined area.

Despite the frustration then, she remained steadfast after incurring R3 500 wasteful expenditure on the 70km return transportation of the Wendyhouse to Lenin Garden. “The saga set me back,” she said.

However, she is still upbeat and ready to expand and grow her 48 herbs, a variety of vegetables and hopefully, fruit trees which she is contemplating transplanting from the current plot or to grow anew.

Mabaso’s commitment to particularly organic production derives from her youth many years ago under the tutelage of her parents at their fields in Limpopo. “My interest aligns with government and the council’s food resilient unit’s objective to support the cooperative principle on food production to avert hunger, for food security, to support small business and alleviate unemployment.”

She is happy with the clay dark, rich virgin soil she hopes will yield results two years from now on herbs, lesser period on vegetables and, after five years from the fruit trees. She is anticipating support from sponsors to irrigating the plot with water from a nearby river, rehabilitate a borehole and fence the site for access control and security.

She is eying the City, provincial government and the United Nation’s programmes for support as part of incubating small, organised farming to enable their participation in emergency food security initiatives. “I am now secure with a five-year lease and will divide my time between the two plots.”

Mabaso’s next task is to acquire a vehicle to ease her travel and ensure uninterrupted management in order to meet the growing demand, particularly for her organic culinary and medicinal herbs and the various species of spinach, onion, chomolia, carrot and sweet potatoes from upmarket food outlets in the suburbs, council’s veggie market and Alex residents.