Farmer of the year (Maize)								IsiZulu
Abalimi bethu Abasakhulayo Abakhiqiza Ukudla Okuzinhlamvu abakhethiweyo ukuba Umkhiqizi Wonyaka ngo-2011 
Folio strap: Umkhiqi wokudla okuzinhlamvu wonyaka
Byline: UJane McPherson, umphathi weprogramu leGSA Lokuthutukisa Abakhiqizi Bokudla Okuzinhlamvu
Izithombe: 
Amajaji/abahluleli: Amalunga ehlu labahluleli: uKarabo Peele, uJane McPherson, uGerhard Mamabolo, uJenny Mathews, uDirk van Rensburg noWillie Kotzé.
UKoos: UKoos noLydia Mthimkhulu ekhishini labo.
UThando: UThando Lolwane uyazilungisela ukuyosebenza emasimini akhe.
UMalefane: UMalefane Makubo uchaza uthando lwakhe lokulima.
UJohn: UJohn Dipane emasimini akhe.
UBoy: UBoy Mokoena ukhombisa ubhekilanga wakhe kubahluleli.
UDavid: UDavid Motswene emasimini akhe.
Kunzima ukucabanga ukuthi sesiphinde safika kulesi sikhathi sonyaka. Sicabange ukuthi kuzobakuhle ukuvakashela abalimi ekuqaleni kwalonyaka ukubona ukuthi izitshalo zabo zinjani lapho ziseluhlaza. 
Sisuke ngesikhathi esiqale ngo-11 sabuya ngo-14 Aphreli. Amalunga ehlu labahluleli bekunguKarabo Peele (Maize Trust), uGerhard Mamabolo (AgriSETA), uJenny Mathews (iqembu lokusebenza),u Dirk van Rensburg (iqembu lokusebenza), uWillie Kotzé noJane McPherson (abasebenzi kule phrogramu). 
Besijabule kakhulu ukuthola imoto kuVolkswagen eKlerksdorp ukuyisebenzisa ngalolu hambo lwethu, ngakho-ke besikwazi ukuhamba kanyekanye. Labo balimi abaphakamisweyo ukuba Umkhiqizi Wokudla Okuzinhlamvu Osakhulayo ngo-2011 bayalandela:
UKoos Mthimkhulu
UKoos wayezalwa ePaul Roux epulazini likaJulius Bobbert. Waya esikoleni epulazini waze wafika kuStandard 1. Kule mpilo yobusha wayedlala nabafana bomnini waze waqala ukwenza imisebenzi eyahlukene epulazini. Waqala ukusebenza edeli lapho kwakusengwa khona, ngezinye izinkomo ezikhiqiza inyama nangezinye izimfuyo. Emva kwalokhu waqala ukushayela ugandaganda nokusebenza ngemishini iminyaka emihlanu. UKoos waqhubeka waba umshayeli weloli epulazini wafunda futhi ukushisela isizinsimbi e’workshop’ nokwakha nokulungisa imishini. Lapho efika eminyakeni engu-26 wasuka waya eMieliebult, ipulazi likaFrikkie du Preez wayefunda okuningi okuphathelene nemishini, ukushisela izinsimbi nokutshala izitshalo. 
UFrikkie umsize kakhulu uKoos ukumthuthukisa, ukuqala ukuba umsenzi epulazini nje ukuya ukuba umkhiqizi mezomnotho ngokwakhe. Wafunda izinto eziningi esebenzela uFrikkie. UFrikkie futhi wamthengisela imishini eyahlukene, wabhadala uFrikkie ngemali engenayo. Ngokusebenzisa imishini ayithenge kuFrikkie, waqala ukwenza umsebenzi wokunkontilaka, walimela abalimi kwezinye izindawo ezikhulayo endaweni yaseSenekal. Lo msebenzi kumsize ukuthola imali yokubhadala isikwenetu semishini. 
UKoos wase wathenga iJohn Deere 3140 ne265 Massey Ferguson neminye imishini ukwenza umsebenzi wokunkontilaki. Enye imali engenile ngalo msebenzi uyisebenzise ukuthenga izinkomo. Emva kwesikhathi waqasha amahektheli angu-55 watshala ummbila wavuna amathani amathathu ehektheleni ngonyaka wokuqala. Ngo-2007 wathembiswa uMnyango Wezimihlaba ukuba umkhiqizi ongumboniseli (caretaker producer) epulazini Astoria lapho elima khona ngokwamanje. UKoos ungumlimi onekhono lokulima futhi ubonga ukusekela akutholayo kuGrain SA nakuMnyango Wezemihlaba kodwa uyabona ukuthi ukutshala izitshalo ezithengiswayo emasimini angenamadla akungeke kuqhubeke ekugcineni. Inkontilaki ngaphakathi kwakhe noMnyango Wezemihlaba lihamba njalo ngonyaka nangonyaka – liqala ngo-10 Novemba 2008 bese ligcina ngoNovemba 2009. Bese uKoos angacela ukuthi inkontilaki liphinde lisayinelwe unyaka olulandelayo lapho uMnyango ubona ukuthi ipulazi liphathwa kahle. Ngesikhathi esidlulile umkhiqizi wayekwazi ukuba umnini walowo mhlaba, umlimi wayekwazi ukuthenga ipulazi libe ngelakhe, kodwa lelo pholisi selishintshile, manje akukhanyi kahle ukuthi uKoos uzolithola yini lelo pulazi noma cha noma nini. Ngokwamanje uMnyango Wezemihlaba uthi umsebenzi waKoos uyamujabulisa futhi isivumelwano sokuba umboniseli sizovuselelwa. 
UKoos uyabona ukuthi kuyinkinga ukuthola inzuzo ngokutshala emhlabathini ongenamandla esifundweni saseSenekal, kuyamhlupha lokhu uKoos, manje yena usufuna ukwandisa ibhizinisi lakhe lokunkotilaka. Uthanda futhi ukuthola umhlaba omuhle onamandla awuqashe ukukhiqiza ummbila nobhekilanga. Ufuna futhi ukwandisa inani lezinkomo epulazini. Okunye okumhlupayo maqondana nomsebenzi omubi woMnyango Wezemihlaba ngukunikezwa kwemishini kubakhiqizi, UKoos futhi ufuna ukuqhubekelisa izindlela zokufaka amanzi kuzo zonke izinkambo epulazini, ukuthenga ezinye izinkomo nokutshala amadlelo amasha emhlabathin ongashonile. 
UKoos uyisibonelo esihle somuntu oqale phansi engenalutho osebenzile waze wafika lapha ekhona namuhla. Kumnandi ukumvakashela epulazini ngoba zonke izimpahla zakhe ziyakhanya zivalelwe ejadini lakhe. Yonke imishini yakhe isebenza kahle ilungisiwe ivalelwe eshedini. Ushade noLydia, banezingane ezintathu, amantombazane amabili nomfana oyedwa, uClifford. UPetunia, omunye wamantombazane ufunde okwezokulima, ngokwamanje uyisiphathimandla esiqobelelana nolwazi, usebenza esifundweni saseFicksburg. UClifford ufunde iminyaka emibili ukumaketha wasebenza iminyaka emibili emaphoyisini, manje usepulazini usebenza noyise. Naye uthanda imishini, kuyabonakala lapho ubheka imishini yakhe ephilile yonke. UKoos nomndeni wakhe bahlala epulazini, bayisibonelo esihle sokuguquka okudingekayo kulolu hlelo lokulima. 
UThando Love Lolwane
UThando wazalwa ngo-1957 Gelukspan (Bapong). Ungumfana ongunamba 9 wezingane ezingu-12 zikaStention noFrancinah Lolwane. Waqala esikoleni eMotswenyane Primary School ngo-1966 wayeka ngo-1971 emva kokuphasa Standard 5 (Grade 7). 
Ngo-1997 waqala ukusebenzu kuStilfontein Panelbeaters wenza umsebenzi owahlukene. Wase wahamba wayosebenza kuMarico Foodstar izinyangana. Wasuka lapho waya eStilfontein Goldmine waye ungumshayeli wesitimela le ngaphansi emhlabathini.
Ushade noAtholia Lolwane, banezingane ezingu-5, amantombazane amabili nabafana abathathu. Umfana omdala uJoseph (32) usebenza kuMnyango wezeMpilo eSchweizer-Reineke. UProgress (30) usebenzela Umnyango Wezinhlalakahle. UGladwin (28) usebenzela Umnyango Wezimpi kodwa manje usebenza noyise epulazini. UPrimrose (24) ufunda Okwezokulima kuTaletso FET noNomvuyo (16) ufunda Grade 10 eBethel High School. UGladwin uyakuthanda ukulima, kumnandi kuye ukusiza uyise epulazini.
UThando waqala ukulima ngo-1982 ngokulekelela uyise. Ngo-1983 waphumelela ukuboleka imali kuAgribank (Bophuthatswana) waqala ukulima amahektheli angu-75 ngogandaganda owodwa. Ngo-1989 wathenga omunye ugandaganda, i6010 Ford. Wase wathenga amahektheli angu-400 eKlippan, waqasha elinye ipulazi elingamahektheli angu-249 eLareystryd futhi waqasha umhlaba osetshenziswa ngumuzi wonke eGelukspan. Ngo-2008, uThando wayengumlimi wonyaka kumncintiswano obizwa ngokuthi iToyota New Harvest Farmer of the Year. Uthini uThando ngakho konke lokhu? Uthi ukulima kuyindlela yokuphila, hhayi, kuyimpilo! 
UMalefane Makubo
UMalefane wazalwa ePetrus Steyn ngo-25 Septhemba 1949. Wakhulela epulazini likaMnz C A Claasen endaweni yasePetrus Steyn area. Waqala waya esikoleni waqeda Grade 4 kuDanielsrus Primary School eduze nasePetrus Steyn. UMalefane wayelithanda ipulazi, waqala ukusebenza khona eneminyaka engu-12. Lapho eneminyaka engu-15 wayesebenza sonke isikhathi epulazini. UMalefane uthi ngaleso sikhathi wayehola 50 cent ngenyanga, wayehola imali egcwele lapho ekwazi ukuthwala isaka lommbila (200 lb) ekhanda! 
UMalefane washiya ipulazi wasenzela iVKB – uthi wayehola iholo elihle wase wakwazi ukushada nomkakhe (R10 ngenyanga). Emva kweminya umlimi wezomnotho wamcela ukuthi abuyele epulazini. Uthi wayehola iholo elihle, babevama ukuthola ibhonisi lamasaka angu-20 ommbila emva kokuvuna – lokhu kwakuyimali enhle. 
UMalefane wayefuna ukusebenza emadolobheni amakhulu lapho kwakhiwa khona, wase waya eQwa-Qwa iphasi lakhe lizomvumela ukusuka eQwaQwa aye amdolobheni. Ngo-1990 wayenquma ukushiya amadolobha, wayefuna ukubuyela eQwaQwa ukuthenga ipulazi. Ekuqaleni wayekwazi ukuqasha ipulazi kuphela (R3 500 njalo ngezinyanga eziyisthupha), kodwa emva kwesikhathi wayekwazi ukuthenga lelo pulazi ngemali ayiboleke kuLand Bank – ususibhadale sonke leso sikwenetu. Wathenga lelo pulazi elingamahektheli angu-560, amahektheli angu-200 ayakwazi ukulinywa. 
UMalefane uthi kuyisifiso sakhe sokubhadala izikwenetu zakhe lapho kukhona imali engenayo ekulimeni kwakhe – izinto azidingayo ngokwakhe uzibeka eceleni, kufanele kubhadalwe isikwenetu kuqala. Ngokwamanje uzibhadale zonke izikwenetu zakhe. Ulima ngokutshala ukolo, ummbila, usoya nobhontshisi owomile. Unezinkomo futhi uyasenga. UMalefane uthi kungathi ikusasa libonakala ngathi lizoba lihle, uyathokoza ukwazi ukulima. 
UJohn Dipali 
UJohn wazalwa epulazin iVaalbank esifundweni saseSenekal. Waya esikoleni Vaalbank waze wafika kuGrade 6. Emva kokusebenza epulazini iminyaka emine wasuka wayosebenzela uMnyango Wazemigwaqo – wayeshayela i’grader’. Wasebenza iminyaka engu-23 ngokushayela ama’grader’ kuMnyango Wezimigwaqo noMnyango WeMisebenzi Yomphakathi. UJohn ushade noJeanette (owayefundisa esikoleni eSenekal iminyaka engu-30). Izingane zabo sezishade zonke.
UJohn nabangane bakhe abane bathenga ipulazi Rooikoppies balithengiseka uMnz Mohapi ngo-2005. UJohn wase wathenga ipulazi Concordia ngosizo oluvele kuMnyango Wezemihlaba. Unayo incwadi yesibopho ehambisana nomtetho ukuba umnini walelo pulazi. UJohn uyathokoza ngesisekelo asithole kuMnyango Wezokulima, Wezemihlaba neGrain SA. Ungumkhiqizi oqhaphela ukuthi usebenza kanjani. Ipulazi lakhe linamahektheli angu-277 futhi uqasha amahektheli angu-144 akwazi ukulinywa. 
Ezinye zezinselele ezimkhathazayo kuyinani yezindleko zokuqala ukulima ezikhuphukayo kodwa inani lentengiso zokudla okuzinhlavu liphansi. Izindlela zakhe zokusebenza epulazini ziphilile futhi imishini yakhe iphilile. Ngoba uJohn akasasiyo insizwa, uqaphela kahle ukuthi kwenzekani epulazini futhi uphatha imisebenzi yakhe ngendlela efanelekile ezoqeda umsebenzi ngesikhathi esifanelekile. 
UBoy Mokoena 
UBoy wazalwa eMiddleburg ngo-1948 epulazini lapho abazali bakhe babesebenza khona. Usahdile unezingane ezine. Akazange aye esikoleni kodwa uthando lwakhe lokulima luqale ngesikhathi esengumfana ebelusa izinkomo. Ngaleso sikhathi umthetho wayengacindezeli abantwana ukuya esikoleni, ngakho-ke uthando lwakhe lokusebenza ngezinto zemvelo kwaqala phansi kwase kwanda kwakhula.
Waqala ukusebenza emapulazini abakhiqizi, waqala phansi ukuba isisebenzi nje waqhubeka waba umshayeli wogandaganda wagcina waba ufolimani. Ngoba wayengumelusi uzithanda kakhulu izinkomo. Nokwamanje unezinkomo ezingu-200 epulazini lakhe. 
Ngeminyaka engu-15 edlule uBoy wayenezinkomo ezingu-800. Wase wenza iphutha elikhulu: wathengisa lezo zinkomo ukuthola imali yokuthenga imishini ukuqala ukutshala ukudla okuthengiswayo. UBoy futhi wafaka umshini wokufafaza amahektheli angu-40 iminyaka emihlanu edlule. Kodwa ingozi yamvelelea ngoba amakhebula nempompi kwantshontshwa.
Ngoba uBoy akafundanga, wayengafuni ukuthi izingane zakhe nazo zikhule ngaphandle kokufunda. Izingane zakhe ezintathu zisukile emapulazini zisebenza kahle emadolobheni. Enye intombazane yakhe imsiza ngokuphatha imisebenzi epulazini nangezinye izindaba ezihambelana nezezimali.
UBoy ukhathazeke kakhulu ukuthi kuzokwenzekani ngonyaka ozayo ekulimeni. Lokhu kungaba ingozi ngoba kuzolahleka umkhiqizi onekhono elihle futhi ozisebenzelayo. 
UDavid Motsweni 
UDavid wazalwa eMiddleburg ngo1949 epulazini Patatfontein. Wayesiza uyise nobabamkhulu epulazini, kanjalo waqala ukuthanda ukulima esemncane. Bebelima ngendlela yakudala ebizwa ngokuthi “derde deel”, bekulima bona ngezinkabi futhi bebethenga izinto zokuqala, kodwa lapho kufika isikhathi sokuvuna bona bathole okwesithathu kwesivuno kuphela. 
UDavid uyazenzela imigidingo yezimali ngoba unamabhizinisi amanye njengengokufuya izingulubo (Naga piggery) okuyisiqephu sokulima esiphathwa kahle. Yena ukhetha ukuphatha noma siphi isiqephu ngathi kuyinto eyodwa, uma leso siqephu singaphumeleli uyasivala. Uthenga izimbewu kuMonsanto futhi akasebenzisi izimbewu ezinguGM. Amakhemikeli uwathenga kuQuemico nomanyolo kuSasol Nitro. Laba banikezi bezinto zokuqala ukutshala bayamjabulisa ngoba abanyamaleli emva kokudiliva izimpahla zabo.
UDavid walile ukukhuluma ngesimo sikaGavumente maqondana nezokulima nokuthuthukisa abalimi abasakhulayo. Ukholwa ukuthi inhlanhla yakhe yokuphumelela ingaphakathi kwakhe nokuzitholela imali, okunye okumsizayo akusikho ukuthatha indlela enqamulayo – kukhona indlela eyodwa ayilandelayo, indlela eqondile.
Insongo enkulu evimba ukuthuthuka kwakhe kuyizinto zemvelo njengukoma, isiwalakahla sesicotho nokunye kwemvelo. Okunye ngukwehla nokukhuphuka kwemakethe okwenza ukuthi inani lezindleko lingahambelani nemali etholakayo ekugcineni, futhi awekho amandla okuphatha intengo nentengiso ngoba kutshalwa kakhulu.
UDavid uzothanda ukuthuthuka ngokutshala amahektheli amanye, kodwa akanawo amandla emishini ukwandisa umsebenzi wakhe. Ukuphumelela ngeminyaka ezayo kuzohambelana nokuhlola kahle ukuthi imakethe lizokwenzani futhi ukutshala lokho okudingekayo ukuze izinto zezomnotho ezweni zisize izwe ukuphumelela ekugcineni.
Laba balimi abakhethiweyo basondelene kulo mncintiswano, kodwa kuyasithokoza ukuthi sikhethe abathathu abalandelayo: UThando Lolwane, uMalefane Makubo noKoos Mthimkhulu. Sibafisela intokozo phambili. 
