Page 4 - DUT Edge

4 RISING STARS
AGRIPRENEUR BENGU SHARES HER FARMING JOURNEY TO SUCCESS
Durban University of Technology’s (DUT’s) Bachelor of Education (B.Ed) alumna Mbali Bengu is growing in leaps and bound with her business called K’saselihle Fresh Vegetables.
Pictured: Mbali Bengu. (Photos by Brian Sthembiso Ngema).
It is one of the fastest growing companies in the agricultural farming space at Mfulamhle, Umzimkhulu. Her farm, which was established in 2019, specialises in growing sugar beans, cabbages, potatoes, green peppers, spinach and butternut. Even though it’s a newly established company, it is already supplying three big retail supermarkets with their fresh produce. She currently has three permanent staff and eight part-time employees.
She indicated that she is currently working with her community since her company aims to decrease the high rate of unemployment that is facing the country.“We also want to contribute to our economy as a whole,” she said.
The agripreneur developed a love for farming at the age of 18 when she was working on one of the farms located near her home and saw that the farmer was making a lot of money. She then grew up having a passion for becoming a farmer, but was worried about how she would start due to the resources required.
In 2020, Bengu, then a nal-year Bachelor of Education Student at DUT’s Indumiso Campus, used the year to enhance her craft and sharpen her agricultural skills through the assistance of the Midlands Entrepreneurship Centre and Student Desk (Centre).
“The Centre played a vital role in growing my business as it harnessed my agripreneur skills by giving me various advisory sessions and mentors to grow my business. They taught me how to manage my nances – the most important element in growth of the business.They also organised some accountants for bookkeeping, nancial records, to name but a few,” she said.
She recently harvested 50 (7kg) bags of butternut, 400 cabbages and 45 (10kg) bags of potatoes, which she
supplied to the local supermarkets. In January 2021, she supplied Umzimkhulu SuperSpar with her healthy and freshly produced spinach.
Bengu explained that as a female agriprenuer, she is also aiming to grow her company by exporting some products that are in demand outside the country such as wheat in Brazil, Australia, and many other products that are also in demand.
Talking about her crops like spinach, Bengu said that it only takes her team six to eight weeks to grow. “We don’t have any machinery to grow or process the spinach; we only use the indigenous way, which is digging holes, adding the animal manure and watering the spinach till it becomes ready for market,” she said.
She further indicated that the weather plays a vital role in the growing process of her crops.They affect her crops positively since it is favourable for spinach in all seasons. According to her soil tests and its co-ordinates, nothing can harm her crops. “We are also fortunate to have enough water since the uMzimkhulu river ows near our eld, so unforeseen situations like droughts won’t affect us anymore,” she said.
In terms of her plan of action during COVID-19, Bengu stressed that she has kept her business owing and expanded her hectares since she is one of the businesses that supplies essential products. “During lockdown, my products have been in very high demand since all people want to eat fresh and stay healthy,” she said happily.
Sindiswe Pretty Ndlovu/Simangele Zuma
NKALITSHANA IS A PROUD FOUNDER OF two businesses
Durban University of Technology’s (DUT’s) alumni Zintle Nkalitshana founded an events business called Zibeauty Events in 2018 after graduating from DUT and Zikitchen in 2020.
Nkalitshana, hailing from Matatiele in the Eastern Cape, graduated with a Diploma in Cost and Management Ac- counting in 2016.“I chose DUT as a place of study because of its academia.The knowledge and experience I gained at DUT will enable me to participate effectively in the work- place,” she said.
Explaining what Zibeauty Events is all about, Nkalitshana said: “Zibeauty Events is about beautifying events and oc- casions, and leaving long-lasting memories. We provide high-quality, beautiful tents, decorations, catering, mobile fridges, jumping castles and other kids’ games.The business has been operating for three years,” she said.
Nkalitshana describes herself as an innovative gem who is consistent and dedicated to what she does! The entrepre- neurial journey has not been without some challenges – ex- treme weather forecasts, transportation woes, and insuf - cient equipment, to name but a few.
“COVID-19 has affected my business’ nances, resulting in cutting down staff. Nonetheless, the pandemic has taught me to save money. During level 3. we managed to open Zikitchen, which is currently doing well to,” she said.
“The idea came out in 2016 when I used to organise small events for my friends and I, and it only worked out when I got pregnant because my friends started neglecting me and that really affected me. However, it also shaped me to be who am I today. I had to make the idea work because now I have a responsibility and the response I got from clients was amazing and it still amazes me.
“We serve people’s dreams like white and traditional weddings, graduation ceremonies, baby and bridal show- ers, backyard and house parties, birthday parties, pyjama parties, bachelor parties, corporate events, business and book launches, anniversaries, lm launches and celebra- tions of different milestones, matric dance occasions, and so on,” explained Nkalitshana.
“She was also awarded with a bursary from the DUT Alumni Of ce while she was an incubator at the Centre of Social Entrepreneurs (CSE).“I won an award for best female entrepreneur of the year accompanied by a sum of R20 000,” said Nkalitshana.
Nkalitshana advises students to grab every opportunity that comes their way and to always think outside the box.
Pictured: Zintle Nkalintshana Nikiwe Sukazi