Farmer of the year (Maize)								isiXhosa
Abatyunjwa bethu baka-2011 boMlimi woNyaka osaPhuhlayo weziTyalo eziziiNkozo 
Folio strap: Umlimi wonyaka wezityalo eziziinkozo
Byline: NguJane McPherson, umphathi wenkqubo yaseGrain SA yeNkqubo yoPhuhliso lwamaFama
Photos: 
Judges: Amalungu ephaneli (abagwebi) ibinguKarabo Peele, uJane McPherson, uGerhard Mamabolo, uJenny Mathews, uDirk van Rensburg noWillie Kotzé.
Koos: UKoos noLydia Mthimkhulu ekhitshini labo.
Thando: UThando Lolwane uzilungiselela ukuba asebenze entsimini yakhe.
Malefane: UMalefane Makubo uchaza uthando lwakhe lomsebenzi wokufama.
John: UJohn Dipane entsimini yakhe.
Boy: UBoy Mokoena ubonisa isityalo sakhe sikajongilanga kwiphaneli (kubagwebi).
David: UDavid Motswene entsimini yakhe.
Akukholeleki ukuba sesifike kwelo xesha lonya kwakhona. Senze isigqibo sokutyelela abalimi usaqala lo nyaka ukuze sizibone ziseluhlaza izityalo. 
Senze ukhenketho ukusuka ngomhla we-11 ukuya kowe-14 kuEpreli kanti amalungu ephaneli (abagwebi) ibinguKarabo Peele (waseMaize Trust), uGerhard Mamabolo (waseAgriSETA), uJenny Mathews (weqela lomsebenzi), uDirk van Rensburg (weqela lomsebenzi), uWillie Kotzé noJane McPherson (umphathi kwinkqubo). 
Sichulumance kakhulu kukunikwa inkxaso yesithuthi ngabakwaVolkswagen eKlerksdorp ukuba siyisebenzie kukhenketho lwethu ngoko ke siye sakwazi ukuhamba kunye. Abatyunjwa baka-2011 boMlimi osaPhuhlayo weziTyalo eziziiNkozo ngaba balandelayo:
UKoos Mthimkhulu
UKoos wazalelwa ePaul Roux, kwifama kaJulius Bobbert. Ufunde kwisikolo seFama yalapho wada wafikelela kwiBanga loku-1 (Grade 3). Ukususela kwelo xesha lobuncinci bakhe, wayedlala noonyana bomfama wada waqalisa ukwenza imisebenzi eyahluka-hlukeneyo efama. Uqale kwicandelo leemveliso zobisi esenga iinkomo, esebenza ngeenkomo zenyama nangenye imfuyo, emva koko udlulele ekuqhubeni iitrektara nokusebenzisa izixhobo ngezixhobo zokusebenza, misebenzi leyo ayenze iminyaka emihlanu. UKoos uye wangumqhubi wooganda-ganda basefama waza waqalisa ukutywina (ukuwelda) kwindawo yokukhanda yasefama ekhanda kananjalo esenza izixhobo zokusebenza. Uthe xa eneminyaka engama-26 ubudala waya kwiMielibult yefama kaFrikkie du Preez apho afunde khona ngezixhobo ezininzi zokusebenza, ngokuwelda nangokulima izityalo. 
UFrikkie udlale indima enkulu ekuphuhleni kukaKoos ukususela ekubeni ngumsebenzi wasefama wada waba ngumlimi orhwebayo yena ngokwakhe. Ufumene amava abanzi ngexesha lokusebenza kwakhe noFrikkie. Kwakhona uFrikkie umthengisele izixhobo zokusebenza ezininzi athe uKoos wamana ukuzihlawuleela xa efumana imali. Ngokusebenzisa izixhobo uKoos azithenge kuFrikkie, wakwazi ukusebenza njengombhambathiswa esenzela abanye abalimi abasaphuhlayo umsebenzi kwingingqi yaseSenekal. Umsebenzi wobubhambathiswa wamngenisela imali yokuhlawula izixhobo ngokupheleleyo. 
UKoos waba neetrektara ze-John Deere 3140 ne-Massey Ferguson 265 kunye nezinye izixhobo zokwenza umsebenzi wobhambathiso. Wenza utyalo-mali ngeenkomo ngenye yengeniso yakhe ayifumene kubhambathiso. Emva kwexesha uqeshe iihektare ezingama-55 zomhlaba olimekayo apho alime kona umbona waza wavuna umyinge weetoni ezintathu ngehektare nganye kunyaka wokuqala. Ngowama-2007 wanikwa ifama iAstoria liSebe lemiBandela yemiHlaba apho angumlimi ongumlindi khona kwixesha langoku. UKoos ungumlimi onesakhono kakhulu kwaye uthi uyincoma kakhulu inkxaso ayifumana eGrain SA nakwiSebe lemiBandela yemiHlaba nako konke abamenzele yona kodwa uphawula athi ukulima izityalo ngemali esesandleni emhlabeni oqeshiweyo kusenokungabi nalulondolozo emva kwexesha. Ubhambathiso lufumaneka kunyaka ngamnye kwaye ubhambathiso alusayine neSebe lemiBandela yemiHlaba luqale ngomhla we-10 Novemba 2008 ukuya ngoNovemba 2009 apho iSebe lemiBandela yemiHlaba linako ukukhetha ukuhlaziya ubhambathiso lonyaka xa ifama igcinwe kakuhle kwaye ilinywa. Kwithuba elidlulileyo, abalimi bebekwazi ukufumana ithayitile ngentsimi, kodwa umgaqo-nkqubo waguqulwa kwaye akucaci ukuba uKoos uya kuze ayifumane ithayitile yalo mhlaba. lSebe lemiBandela yemiHlaba laneliseke kakhulu ngumgangatho womsebenzi obonakalisiweyo ukuza kuthi ga ngoku kwaye selitshilo ukuba imvumelwano yomgcini/umlindi iza kuhlaziywa. 
Njengoko uKoos exhalatyiswa bubukho benzuzo malunga nemveliso yezityalo eziziinkozo kwimihlaba enesakhono esiphantsi kwingingqi yaseSenekal, ufuna ukwandisa ishishini lakhe lobhambathiso. Kwakhona, ukhangela imihlaba enesakhono esiphucukileyo anokuyiqesha ukuze alime umbona nojongilanga. Ukwafuna nokwandisa inani leenkomo zenyama efama. Ezinye zeenkxalabo ezinkulu zibandakanya ukungasebenzi kakuhle kweSebe lezoLimo ngokunxulumene nokunikwa kwabalimi izixhobo zokusebenza. UKoos ebenqwenela ukunyusa umgangatho wenkxaso yamanzi kuzo zonke iikampi ezikwifama yakhe, athenge ezinye iinkomo aze aseke amadlelo asisigxina kwimihlaba engekho nzulu kakhulu. 
UKoos ungumzekelo omhle kakhulu womntu oqale engenanto waza wavula indlela yakhe efikelele kule ndawo akuyo namhla. Kulibhongo ukumtyelela kwifama yakhe kuba yonke into igcinwe kakuhle kwaye ibekwe ngocwangco eyadini. Zonke izixhobo zakhe zokusebenza zikhathalelwe kwaye zigcinwe eshedini. Utshate noLydia kwaye banabantwana abathathu, Omabini amantombazana atshatile kuze kubekho unyana onguClifford. UPetunia, omnye weentombi zakhe unemfundo enomsila kwezolimo kwaye usebenza njengegosa lesolula kwingingqi yaseFicksburg. UClifford wenze izifundo zeminyaka emibini zokulawula intengiso nezolimo, usebenze ebupoliseni iminyaka emibini ngoku usefama isigxina, wenza umsebenzi wokufama noTata wakhe. Unobuchule obubanzi kakhulu bokusebenza ngoomatshini, buchule obo obubonakala kwimeko ebalasele kakhulu yezixhobo zakhe. UKoos nosapho lwakhe bahlala efama kwaye bangumzekelo omhle kakhulu wohlobo lwenguquko efuneka kweli candelo. 
UThando Love Lolwane
UThando wazalwa ngowe-1957 eGelukspan (Bapong). Ungunyana wethoba kaStention noFrancinah Lowane kubantwana babo abali-12. Uqale ukufunda kwisiKolo samaBanga aPhantsi saseMotswenyane ukususela ngowe-1966 waza waphuma ngowe-1971 emva kokuphumelela iBanga lesi-5 (Grade 7). 
Ngowe-1997 uqalise ukusebenza eStilfontein Panelbeaters njengomsebenzi jikelele waza washiya apho wangena eMarico Foodstar ngengombhexeshi kamatshini iinyanga ezimbalwa. Emva koko usebenze eMgodini weGolise waseStilfontein njengomqhubi wetreyini ehamba ngaphantsi komhlaba.
Utshate noAtholia Lolwane kwaye basikelelwe ngabantwana abahlanu, iintombi ezi-2 noonyana abathathu. Unyana wakhe wokuqala uJacob (32) ngoku usebenza kwiSebe lezeMpilo eSchweizer-Reineke. UProgress (30) yena usebenzela uPhuhliso lwezeNtlalo. UGladwin (28) usebenze kwezokhuselo kanti uphinda asebenze noyise efama. UPrimrose (24) wenza izifundo zeZolimo eTaletso FET kanti uNomvuyo (16) ufunda kuGrade 10 kwisiKolo samaBanga aPhezulu saseBethel. UGladwin unomdla kakhulu emsebenzini wokufama kwaye uncedisa utata wakhe efama.
UThando waqalisa ngomsebenzi wokufama ngowe-1982 ngokuncedisa utata wakhe. Ngowe-1983 wakwazi ukufumana imali-mboleko eAgribank (eBophuthatswana) waza waqalisa ngokufama emhlabeni weehektare ezingama-75 ngetrektara enye. Ngowe-1989 wathenga enye itrektara ye-6010 Ford -6010. Wathenga ifama yeehektare ezingama-400 eKlippan, waqesha enye ifama yama-249 eLareystryd waphinda waqesha imihlaba edityanelweyo eGelukspan. Ngowama-2008, uThando waye nguMlimi Wonyaka weToyota New Harvest. NgokukaThando ezolimo bubomi! 
UMalefane Makubo
UMalefane wazalelwa ePetrus Steyn ngowama-25 Septemba 1949. Ukhulele kwifama kaMnu C.A. Claasen kwingingqi yasePetrus Steyn. Uphume esikolweni emva kokuphumelela iBanga lesi-4 kwisiKolo samaBanga aPhantsi saseDanielsrus kufuphi nePetrus Steyn. UMalefane wayeyithanda ifama waza waqalisa ukusebenza efama kubudala be-12. Waqeshwa njengomsebenzi wexesha elipheleleyo efama eneminyaka eli-15 ubudala. UMalefane uthi ngoko wayefumana umvuzo wama-50c ngenyanga waza waqala ukufumana umvuzo opheleleyo (R2 ngenyanga) akuba selekwazi ukuthwala ingxowa yombona yama-200 lb entloko! 
UMalefane wahamba efama waya kusebenzela i-VKB – uthi wawumhle umvuzo wakhe kwaza oko kwenza ukuba abe nako ukutshata inkosikazi yakhe (wawuyi-R10 ngenyanga). Emva kweminyaka eliqela, wacelwa ngumlimi orhwebayo ukuba abuyele efama. Uthi babehlala kakuhle kwaye befumana nebhonasi emva kwesivuno seengxowa zombona ezingama-20 – yayintle loo mali. 
UMalefane wayenqwenela ukusebenza ezixekweni kwiziza ekwakhiwa kuzo waza waya kuhlala eQwaQwa ukuze “incwadi yepasi yakhe” imvumele ukuba akwazi ukuyishiya loo ndawo. Ngowe-1990 uMalefane wathatha isigqibo sokushiya izixeko wagoduka waya eQwaqwa apho wayeza kuthenga khona ifama. Uqale waqeshiselwa ifama owayeyihlawulela irente (R3 500 qho kwinyanga ezintandathu), kodwa ugqibele ngokukwazi ukuthenga ifama ngokusebenzisa imali-mboleko yaseLandBank aseleyihlawule ngokupheleleyo ngoku. Uthenge ifama yeehektare ezingama-560 apho ama-200 eehektare abe ngumhlaba olimekayo khona. 
UMalefane uthi ukwenze umthetho-siseko wakhe ukuhlawula amatyala akhe nanini xa efumana ingeniso evela kwifama yakhe – izidingo zakhe ziza mva emva kokuhlawula ityala. Uwahlawule onke amatyala akhe kanti ngoku ulima ingqolowa, umbona, iimbotyi zesoya, iimbotyi ezomileyo, iinkomo zenyama kanti unalo necandelo elincinci leemveliso zobisi. UMalefane unethemba ngekamva kwaye uyawuthanda umsebenzi wasefama. 
UJohn Dipali 
UJohn wazalelwa kwifama iVaalbank kwingingqi yaseSenekal. Wahamba isikolo seVaalbank sasefama wada waphumelela u-grade 6. Emva kokuba sefama iminyaka emine ungene kwiSebe lezeeNdlela ngowe-1970 waba ngumqhubi kaganda-ganda. Uchithe iminyaka engama-23 eqhuba ooganda-ganda beSebe lezeeNdlela nakweleMisebenzi kaWonke-wonke. UJohn utshate noJeanette (obengutitshala kwisikolo samabanga aphantsi saseSenekal iminyaka engama-30) kanti abantwana babo sebetshatile.
UJohn nabahlobo abane bathenga ifama eRooikoppies kodwa bayithengisela uMnu Mohapi ngowama-2005. Emva koko uJohn uthenge ifama iConcordia ngokuncedwa yiMibandela yezeMihlaba ngowama-2005. Ebesenayo ithayitile yefama. Wanelisekile ngoncedo alufumeneyo kude kube ngoku kwiSebe lezoLimo, kweleMibandela yezeMihlaba nakwiGrain SA. Ungumlimi othanda ukwenza izinto ngendlela ayiqhelileyo. Ifama yakhe iziihektare ezingama-277 aphinde kwakhona aqeshe iihektare ezili-114 zomhlaba olimekayo. 
Eminye yemiceli-mingeni emenza axhalabe ziindleko eziphezulu zamagalelo kunye namaxabiso aphantsi ezityalo eziziinkozo. Imisebenzi yakhe yokufama isemgangathweni kwaye nezixhobo zakhe zokusebenza efama zifanelekile. Njengoko uJohn engasengomfana, wenza izicwangciso namalungiselelo alungileyo ukuze umsebenzi wenziwe ngexesha elifanelekileyo. 
UBoy Mokoena 
UBoy wazalelwa eMiddelburg ngowe-1948 efama apho babeqeshwe khona. Utshatile unabantwana abane. Zange waya esikolweni kwaye njengenkwenkwe eselula waba nothando lwezolimo kakhulu esalusa. Ngezo ntsuku kwakunganyanzelekanga ukuya esikolweni ngoko ke kuye kwaphuhla uthando lwendalo.
Uqale ukusebenza kwiifama zabalimi abarhwebayo waza waziphucula ukusuka ekubeni ngumsebenzi kuphela ukuya kumqhubi wetrektara waza wagqibela ngokuba yinduna. Njengomntu obengumalusi kuqala ukwanothando olunzulu lokufuya iinkomo. Ngoku kwifama yakhe uneenkomo ezingamakhulu amabini zokurhweba. 
Phantse kwiminyaka elishumi elinesihlanu uBoy ebeneenkomo zenyama zokurhweba ezimalunga namakhulu asibhozo kanti uza kwenza enye yeempazamo zokuthengisa iinkomo kuba efuna ukuthenga izixhobo zokulima izityalo zokuxelenga umhlaba. UBoy ebenesizikithi ajikeleza kuso esimalunga neehektare ezingama-40 efama yakhe esakhiwa kwiminyaka emihlanu eyadlulayo. Ngelishwa, kwabiwa iikheyibhile kwisizikithi ajikeleza kuso nesikhululo sokumpompa zabiwa.
Naxa engafundanga yena, uBoy akababekanga phantsi abantwana bakhe ngokungabaniki imfundo. Bobathathu abantwana bakhe bashiya amaphandle baya edolophini kwaye baqhuba kakuhle apho. Intombi yakhe imncedisa ngolawulo lweshishini nangeminye imibandela yemali yasefama.
Ngelishwa uBoy akanathemba kwaphela ngexesha elizayo lonyaka. Kuya kuba sisiphelo esibi kakhulu ukulahlekelwa ngumlimi obalasele njengaye okwaziyo ukuzenzela yonke imisebenzi. 
UDavid Motsweni 
UDavid wazalelwa eMiddleburg ngowe-1949 kwifama yePatatfontein. Wayekholisa ukuncedisa utata wakhe notatomkhulu wakhe efama waza ngenxa yoko waba nothando lomsebenzi wokufama eselula. Babewenza umsebenzi wasefama ngokusebenzisa indlela yakudala eyayibizwa ngokuba yi-“derde deel” apho babelima intsimi ngokusebenzisa iinkabi kwaye bezenzela ngokwabo amagalelo entsimi ukuze kuthi xa kufike ixesha lokuvuna bafumane inxalenye enye yezityalo kwezintathu. 
UDavid uzinceda ngokwakhe ngenkxaso-mali kuba enamanye amashishini awenzayo afana nelokwandisa imihlambi yeehagu iNaga eliphuhle kakhulu nelingumsebenzi wasefama ogcinwe kakuhle. Ukholelwa ekugcineni icandelo ngalinye lomsebenzi wokufama liqhuba ngokwalo ukuze xa lingamsebenzeli alivale. Uthenga imbewu yakhe eMonsanto kwaye akasebenzi mbewu ye-GM (enemfuza eguqu-guqulweyo). Imichiza ithengwa eQuemico kanti isichumiso sona sifumaneka eSasol Nitro. Wanelisekile ngabaxumi bakhe bamagalelo kuba abanyamalali emva kokusiwa kwee-odolo.
UDavid akafunanga kuphawula ngendima edlalwa nguRhulumente kwezoLimo nasekuphuhlisweni kwabalimi. Ukholelwa ekubeni impumelelo yakhe isezandleni zakhe nakwinkxaso-mali yakhe kanti elinye icala lempumelelo yakhe kukuba akakholelwa ekuthatheni iindlela ezinqumlayo – inye indlela ekhoyo yile elungileyo.
Isoyikiso esikhulu esimothusayo sesentlekele yendalo esifana nembalela, isichotho okanye nawuphi omnye ubhubhane. Esinye isoyikiso kukungabikho kozinzo kummandla wentengiso apho iindleko zamagalelo zingahambelaniyo khona neembuyekezo nokungabikho kolawulo phezu kwamaxabiso ngenxa yemveliso eninzi kakhulu.
UDavid unqwenela ukwandisa nokulima iihektare ezithe chatha kwaye unaso isakhono soomatshini sokukwenza oko. Ukuxhathisa kwiminyaka ezayo kuya kuxhomekeka ekuhlalutyeni ummandla wentengiso ngokuchanekileyo nokulima izityalo ezichanekileyo ngokwezidingo zoqoqosho olufunekayo ukuze kufumaneke ukuphila.
Olu khutshiswano lusemgangathweni phezulu lonke, kodwa sinovuyo ukubhengeza ukuba abantu abagqwesileyo abathathu nguThando Lolwane, Malefane Makubo noKoos Mthimkhulu. Sibanqwenelela yonke impumelelo. 
