PRESS STATEMENT

MEC NQATHA CROWNS YOUNG MILLER DURING FEA 

Issued by DRDAR Communications on 5 August 2018

 

Inga Mdunyelwa, 23, one of the owners of Pondoland brand milling plant from flagstaff was crowned as the best female entrepreneur of the year in the province by the Eastern Cape Rural Development and Agrarian Reform MEC Xolile Nqatha during the annual Female Entrepreneur of the year awards on Thursday.

 

Mdunyelwa, who is from flagstaff produces maize, poultry feed from 3 456 tons of maize she buys from local farmers which she mills at her plant, sells packaged bags to 82 Shoprite stores in Kwa-Zulu Natal, Eastern Cape, 16 Spar stores, Spar stores in the Eastern Cape and to all boxer stores in the Eastern Cape province through their distribution center.

 

After scooping the top prize of the year, the excited Mdunyelwa said she will buy a delivery truck for her business with some of the prize money

 

“I am very excited about the award; I am even shaking. We are about to open a depot in Durban and we were concerned about the transportation, now we will be able to buy another truck,” said Mdunyelwa.

 

Mdunyelwa says she learnt the importance of farming and agriculture from her late mother who produced vegetables from her home garden.

 

“I am so happy for winning these awards. How I wish my late mother was still around to see one of her wishes coming through. She always wanted her children to be successful in life. I am hurt that she is not around to see this success.

 

Her business acumen, profitability of her business surged her to win the top agriculture awards aimed at encouraging women participation in the agriculture, forestry and fisheries sector to ensure food security, create jobs, contribute towards economic growth and alleviate poverty trough enterprises led by women.

 

During the awards, Mdunyelwa took top honours in the agro processing category ahead of being crowned Overall Female Entrepreneur of the Year winner during the awards organized by the Eastern Cape Department of Rural Development and Agrarian Reform.

 

She beat six other female farmers who won in the smallholder, commercial, exporting, subsistence and female farm worker categories of the awards.

 

Mdunyelwa said they have plans to produce amabele, inkoduso, white maize for samp, sweet beans, to increase our poultry feed range from their plant.

 

MEC Nqatha congratulated Mdunyelwa and other women for their agriculture activities, saying they were bringing back black people’s dignity.

 

“Agriculture is the backbone of rural development in the province. You are the pioneers that will help to ensure this is done. You are not only producing food or rearing animals to feed your families but you are also participating in job creation, poverty alleviation and economic development programs of our province and the country. By what you are doing you are bringing back the dignity of black people. We are happy that you are involved in agriculture,” said MEC Nqatha.

 

The Eastern Cape Province will host the national Female Entrepreneur of the year Awards later in August at the Buffalo City Metropolitan Municipality.

 

At the national awards the province will be represented byLinda Mgedezi in the best female worker category, Noluntu Flathela in the substance farming category, Zoliwe Rhuum in the smallholder category, Sophia Wanganella in the commercial farming category, Inga Mdunyelwa for agro processing category and by Noluthando Mbilase in the Export Category.

 

“With God by my side, I am ready for the national awards and I hope to win at the national awards because our business needs the money to invest into our business,” said Mdunyelwa.

 

Inga Mdunyelwa: 2018 FEA Overall Winner 

060 458 4380

Andile Fani: MEC’s Spokesperson 

065949 4844