RETIRED footballer, MacBeth Sibaya, has started a farming enterprise in his home province of KZN.
Sibaya earned 62 caps for the national soccer team, competed in the 2002 and 2010 World Cups for South Africa, and played internationally in Europe during his decades-long career.
The footballer reminisces that when he played his sport in Russia, the players drank tea during half-time instead of water due to the cold temperatures.
“I put freezer bags underneath my socks to keep my feet dry when playing in the snow. My feet would be so numb from the cold that I would be unsure if I’d actually made contact with the ball,” he says.
The soccer life
Soccer has been MacBeth’s life since the age of six, playing on the streets in Hammarsdale. Such was his passion for the game that he belonged to two leagues and would play his first match in the morning and a second one later in the day. Does he miss playing the sport at an elevated national and international level, since retiring in 2013?
“I don’t feel sad,” he says. “I did everything I needed to, and I achieved. So, when it was time to retire, I knew that I’d done enough as I don’t regret my achievements.”
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The footballer says that soccer is a unique sport requiring a high level of intelligence, and he has a passion for coaching and passing on his knowledge. Sibaya believes that there is a great need for more school soccer teams and leagues, and that participants should play frequently and in numerous competitions.
The new venture
Although Sibaya’s passion for the sport is undying, he has started a new enterprise as a farmer. His vision is a return to a more traditional way of living, and supporting and mentoring farmers is part of his mission.
The Sibaya family farm is the first step in a larger goal. For now, Sibaya and his wife Nicky are focused on forming a bridge between the landowner, farmer and market.
“One home, one garden is the answer to food scarcity in our country,” says Nicky, a former chef. “We want to get our hands dirty. MacBeth’s day starts early in the morning on our farm, or he has meetings on other farms – that’s basically what his life is about now.”
Nicky assists students at a local NGO, and she has a heart for community.
She says, “Covid taught us a lot, and with fuel hikes, simple living is here for the long-term. In rural areas, people plant organically, and although it’s not on a large scale, everyone wins. It is taking us back to the communities that we used to have – united, caring and sharing. Life back then was less expensive because you grew your own food and shared it with your neighbours.”
The Sibaya family are steadily making a difference on the ground in KZN.
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