By Daniel Puchert Partially state-owned telecommunications company Telkom announced in its financial results for the year ending 31 March 2025 that its ADSL subscribers had more than halved to under 30,000. According to the company’s operational data, ADSL lines decreased from 64,959 in March 2024 to 29,770. This 54.2% decline highlights that the legacy broadband technology is slowly approaching the end of the road. Telkom’s ADSL business peaked at the end of March 2016 with 1.01 million subscribers — two years after fibre upstart Vumatel broke ground in Parkhurst . What followed was a sharp decline in Telkom ADSL subscribers. Customers connected to its copper networks decreased by more than 500,000 over the next four years. This was partly driven by Telkom itself, which began actively switching off its copper network in some neighbourhoods. If it did not have fibre in the area, it would offer a “fixed line lookalike” wireless service that ran over its cellular ...
Get link
Facebook
X
Pinterest
Email
Other Apps
Siphelele cracks success code in macadamia farming
Get link
Facebook
X
Pinterest
Email
Other Apps
-
After a career with Rolls-Royce in England, Siphelele Vumisa swapped the fast lane for the farm lane, growing macadamias in KwaZulu-Natal
From engineering to sustainable farming, Siphelele Vumisa is cultivating resilience with macadamias, cattle, and a vision for eco-friendly agriculture in KZN. Photo: Meshaan van Wyk
Once a mechanical engineer with experience abroad, Siphelele Vumisa now cultivates 32 hectares of macadamia orchards in KwaZulu-Natal, swapping out machines for trees.
Born into a farming household, Vumisa’s father, Isaac Vumisa, raised cattle and goats, while his mother focused on growing sweet potatoes and tomatoes. Despite his agricultural upbringing, Vumisa chose a different path.
“It wasn’t agriculture that I wanted to do because it was something I was familiar with,” he says.
Instead, he pursued a military course, then later continued his studies at the University of Pretoria, graduating as an engineer before working in Bristol, England, for two years.
After working for Rolls-Royce in England, he returned to Limpopo, South Africa, where his time on a military base sparked his curiosity in agriculture.
Siphelele Vumisa’s journey from mechanical engineering to macadamia farming is proof that sometimes the best way to succeed is by growing something new Photo: Supplied/Food For Mzansi
Engineering his way to a nutty success
Back in Limpopo, Vumisa began exploring the world of agriculture. The road ahead was uncertain, until a series of heartfelt conversations with Richard Ball, an experienced mentor in Louis Trichardt, helped him discover his niche – macadamia farming.
Before fully committing to macadamia farming, Vumisa decided to test the land’s potential.
“I didn’t cultivate the land right away, I planted my first batch of macadamia seeds and left it to its own devices to see what would survive. That way, I could understand what naturally thrives here and what struggles,” he says.
His approach was based on the belief that plants should be able to endure tough conditions rather than being overly dependent on human intervention.
Today, Vumisa cultivates various macadamia cultivars, including A4, Nelmac 2 (N2), A216, A16, and A214 on 32 hectares of land. “Some are just upright cultivars (8×3 spacing), and then some are broad cultivars, broadly growing cultivars (8×4 spacing), and some are just hybrid cultivars,” he explains.
He specifically chose these varieties because they are well-suited to KwaZulu-Natal’s climate and are recommended by processors. His primary processor is Coastal Macadamias, with whom he has an offtake agreement.
Vumisa started with 10 hectares after signing a contract with the government. At the time, he was already collaborating with Macadamia South Africa (Samac), which had initially committed to funding only the plant material. Samac operates on a co-funding model, where they provide 70% of the funds, and the farmer contributes the remaining 30%.
He used his government contract as leverage. The government added 10 hectares to his existing 10, and Samac funded another 12, bringing the total to 32 hectares.
Vumisa also farms Nguni and Boran cattle, breeds known for adaptability and resilience. “Nguni cattle are the best breed for our conditions because they can thrive in harsh environments with minimal input,” he explains.
Sustainability is central to Vumisa’s approach, both in managing high operating costs and protecting the environment. His farm uses solar-powered irrigation and operates with a licensed water system that draws from a nearby dam and stream via pipeline.
Vumisa’s farming philosophy is built on resilience. He prefers to toughen his crops and livestock to adapt naturally to environmental challenges, avoiding over-reliance on inputs.
Despite being the only macadamia farmer in his immediate vicinity, Vumisa has not yet encountered significant pest problems, apart from locusts in January. However, he anticipates that pest pressures will develop as more farmers in the region begin cultivating macadamias.
In collaboration with the department of agriculture, Vumisa is also helping to introduce macadamia farming in schools – ensuring the next generation learns about the crop early. His passion for sharing knowledge is rooted in the mentorship that shaped his own journey.
Siphelele Vumisa farms macadamia on 32 hectares of land. Photo: Supplied/Food For Mzansi
Mentors, macadamias, and making it work
It was during his time back in Limpopo, while stationed at a military base, that an encounter with Ball would shape his farming journey. They met during Vumisa’s military service when he stayed at Ball’s guesthouse, and their shared love for farming quickly formed a lasting bond.
“Richard Ball is an old friend of mine. He is a passionate farmer. When we talked, I realised what I needed to do,” Vumisa recalls.
Meanwhile, Ball fondly describes Vumisa as “an enthusiastic person. He just loves farming.”
Vumisa’s journey into macadamia farming was further shaped by forestry consultant William Davidson, who guided him in orchard layout and management – knowledge that laid a strong foundation for his operations.
Building on that foundation, Vumisa also draws on his engineering background to manage and maintain his farm. “I do my own maintenance. Maintenance is a major component on the farm,” he said. He constructs basic tools and handles welding work, ensuring smooth day-to-day operations.
Managing the business side of the farm is a challenge, but Vumisa handles most aspects himself, with assistance from an administrative worker. He currently employs eight permanent workers, supplemented by seasonal staff. Looking ahead, he aims to establish proper offices for more streamlined operations.
Vumisani encourages aspiring farmers to be proactive in their learning. “They must get involved in study groups and attend farmers’ days,” he advises. He believes that networking and continuous education are essential to staying informed and overcoming challenges in the agricultural industry.
There are a lot of people, but the oceans are very big. Rosley Majid/EyeEm via Getty Images If everyone on Earth sat in the ocean at once, how much would sea level rise? March 29, 2021 2.07pm SAST Author Tony E. Wong Assistant Professor of Mathematical Sciences, Rochester Institute of Technology Disclosure statement Tony E. Wong does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment. Partners Rochester Institute of Technology provides funding as a member of The Conversation US. The Conversation is funded by the National Research Foundation, eight universities, including the Cape Peninsula University of Technology, Rhodes University, Stellenbosch University and the Universities of Cape Town, Johannesburg, Kwa-Zulu Natal, Pretoria, and South Africa. It is hosted by the Universities of the Witwatersrand and Wester...
By Andrew Aloia BBC Sport Last updated on 11 October 2021 11 October 2021 . From the section Football Watson was a trailblazer who helped transform how football was played There are two murals of black footballers facing one another across an alleyway in Glasgow. One helped shape football as we know it, the other is Pele. Andrew Watson captained Scotland to a 6-1 win over England on his debut in 1881. He was a pioneer, the world's first black international, but for more than a century the significance of his achievements went unrecognised. Research conducted over the past three decades has left us with some biographical details: a man descended of slaves and of those who enslaved them, born in Guyana, raised to become an English gentleman and famed as one of Scottish football's first icons. And yet today, 100 years on from his death aged 64, Watson remains something of an enigma, the picture built around him a fractured one. His grainy, faded, sepia image evokes many differen...
Visual Capitalist Elements | September 15, 2021 | 8:58 am Intelligence Australia USA Coal The Countries With the Largest Coal Reserves Cheap and abundant coal remains one of the largest sources of energy worldwide, even as governments set out goals to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. While jurisdictions in Europe and North America have been phasing out coal use in power generation, it has been on the rise in Asia. China and India are scrambling to provide electricity to a growing population and relying on coal power plants to meet demands despite the environmental costs. SIGN UP FOR THE ENERGY DIGEST Sign Up This infographic takes a look into the BP Statistical Review of World Energy 2021 , and the 11 countries that make up 89% of the coal reserves globally. Coal Reserves, by Country While countries need to phase out coal by 2040 to achieve the Paris Agreement goal of limiting global warming to 1.5ºC, consumption in key ...
Comments
Post a Comment