The proximity of the Black Umfolozi River is a strategic resource used to enhance economic opportunities for community members in Zululand Anthracite Colliery’s  four host Traditional Councils in rural northern Zululand. In the Matheni Traditional Council area, the Nzamagamandla fresh produce co-operative was established in the mid 1990’s under the guidance of the ZAC Sustainable Development team.

Ensuring the sustainability of the project, ZAC provided equipment for extracting water from the nearby Black Umfolozi River to a water storage tank at the garden. Leading the co-operative Mr F Sikhakhane, said the co-operative has had a positive impact on the people involved in the project.
“There are not many job opportunities in our area as we live far from the main towns. We are grateful to ZAC for giving us the opportunity to establish this garden so that we can become financially independent,” says Sikhakhane who now more than ten years on is still the driving force of the co-operative.
Membership to the co-operative has declined to a core of around ten dedicated workers who weed, water and tend the cabbage, onions, spinach, tomatoes and maize plants from planting through to harvesting the fully grown produce.

The harvested vegetables are sold to the kitchens at the ZAC office and residential complex while excess produce is sold on a weekly basis to staff and community members. Advice and guidance as to the care and tending of crops as well as crop rotating is provided by the Owen Sithole Agricultural College as well as Department of Agriculture extension officers. Meanwhile more recently ZAC has invested further into the co-operative’s sustainability with the establishment of the Celukufunda block making enterprise, not far from the vegetable garden and closer to the banks of the Black Umfolozi River.

Sharing the use of the pump with the vegetable garden, water and sand are extracted from the river for use in the making of the specialised concrete blocks that are sold to ZAC for use in the mine shafts.
Involved since the start of the project, ZAC Sustainable Development team members Bheki Buthelezi says projects like these are only successful if the right people are included. “Hardworking, committed and dedicated people are behind the success of these projects.”