N Balindlela launches Emanuel Haven Project

21 February 2006

The MEC for the Department of Agriculture and the Premier of the Eastern
Cape Nosimo Balindlela launched the Emanuel Haven Project at Motherwell in Port
Elizabeth.

This project is situated in Emmanuel Haven site on 30 hectares of land and
was conceived by Dr Mamisa Chabula Nxiweni. According to Mrs Chabula this was
her dream for many years but it was in a form of flowers not vegetables. Then
she met Anthony Oshry who became her mentor and support emerging farmer’s until
to date.

“I am thrilled to meet such a calibre; he has got his own farm but is also
rendering services here at Emmanuel for free, now he is a private public
partnership with this project,” she said.

This is a high tech greenhouse operation producing cucumbers, tomatoes and
open field commercial operation producing lettuce for sale, targeted to the
families of people with HIV/AIDS as well as the youth in Motherwell as its
source of labour and poverty alleviation and social strengthening. Mrs Chabula
said “this is a Christian response to the HIV and AIDS, as its name also come
from the bible, which means God is with us (Emmanuel).”

The government has allocated about R2.5 million with a firm commitment for
further funding in the next financial year and the Eastern Cape Development
Corporation has assisted with R500.000, loan funding for working capital.

Also the South African Breweries (SAB), Coca Cola, Eastern Cape Development
Corporation (ECDC) and Nelson Mandela Metro who also made contributions to the
project, conveyed their messages of support. Mr Khaya Ndimba from SAB said
“This initiative, I am confident, will revolutionise the manner in which
Agriculture is being viewed, going forward.”

Mr Andrian Ristow the Communications manager of Coca Cola on his speech said
“We are not growing only vegetable we are also growing hope, and also wish to
popularise this project so as to get more funding.” The MEC mentioned that the
departmental challenge is on how to convince communities that their lives
depend on land. “We need to convince people that land is the fundamental
resource to develop our nation,” he said. He encouraged the people to work the
land rather than seeking job because the money that we have has no value.

“As long as we use our hands to work land, it is the best secret of our
living because everything starts on the land, even if the young man is going to
circumcision, a girl is getting married, they all start on the land”. She also
mentioned that Eastern Cape was one of the five places nominated to get an
award on best Agriculture, and therefore people should go back and toil the
soil.

Enquiries:
Zoleka Dondolo
Te: (040) 609 3402
Cell: 083 566 0527

Fikile Black
Tel: (040) 609 3486
Cell: 082 578 1437

Issued by: Department of Agriculture, Eastern Cape Provincial
Government
21 February 2006
Source: Eastern Cape Provincial Government (http://www.ecprov.gov.za)