Durban — The KwaZulu-Natal Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (Dard) handed over a state-of-the-art abattoir at Phangela Trading and Stock Enterprise in Hluhluwe to triple the farm’s income.
According to the department, the multi million-rand abattoir reflects the agricultural triumphs and milestones achieved towards the transformation and development of the agriculture sector in the past 30 years.
On Thursday, Dard officially handed over a first-of-its-kind, state-of-the-art facility at Phangela Trading and Stock Enterprise, aligned with the department’s vision of positioning black farmers for commercial success by providing funding and holistic agricultural support.
Phangela Trading and Stock Enterprise owner Sphamandla Maphanga said the abattoir was the “miracle” that the farm had been hoping for as they were previously dependent on local businesses to slaughter and process their meat, losing money in the process.
Maphanga started as an emerging farmer feeding cattle from car tyres. Then in 2019, his journey with Dard began when he applied for funding which was approved to develop the first phase of the farm, a storage shed.
Today, Maphanga employs 36 people – 30 hold permanent positions – and he hosts students from universities for their practicals and farmers interested in feedlot business and schools for excursions.
“We now have three sections, a grazing camp, a feedlot and now an abattoir. We start weaning from 170kg and when cattle are at least 250kg they move to our feedlot where they are fattened for 120 days to reach between 250 – 500kg, our A Grade meat. From there we walk them to our abattoir,” Maphanga said.
Maphanga said they were licensed to slaughter six cattle daily but more was needed for market demand.
“We currently deliver to butcheries, supermarkets and shisanyamas in the townships. Our goal as a rural abattoir is to slaughter 20 cattle daily. We are grateful to the department and we want to expand the abattoir ourselves and establish wholesales for our people,” Maphanga said.
Maphanga also owns butcheries in Mtubatuba, Mkuze, Mbonambi and Jozini where he sells to local communities at reasonable prices.
After assessing operations at the farm, Dard MEC Super Zuma said he was mostly impressed by the professionalism displayed by Maphanga.
“The government’s plan is to grow and develop emerging farmers into sustainable businesses and we are succeeding. We have created a firm and our people will benefit immensely from this project,” Zuma said.
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