The Eastern Cape Department of Agriculture is providing shearing sheds to communal and emerging farmers with the aim of improving both the quality and quantity of wool so that farmers can truly experience that “wool is their wealth.”
MEC Nonkqubela Kontsiwe made these remarks yesterday, 24 June 2025, during the official handover of a fully equipped shearing shed at Upper Qebe AA in Ngcobo. The handover forms part of the Department’s broader strategy to ensure rural farmers benefit from the lucrative wool industry.
“We know farmers believe wool is their wealth, hence we are encouraging them by providing shearing sheds to improve wool quality so that they can experience the benefits,” said MEC Kontsiwe. “We are assisting them so that their wool does not become contaminated but comes out clean and in good quality. This means the volume and quality of their wool will increase because they now have a proper place to shear their sheep.”
The MEC encouraged more farmers to join associations, as the government supports organised farmers. “We encourage farmers to unite and prosper together.”
The Department invested a total of R1 654 903 to provide infrastructure for these farmers, who previously sheared their flocks in rondavels. The goal is to boost both wool quality and quantity and help commercialise the sector in rural areas.
The 28-member Upper Thuthukani Wool Growers Association, established in 2015, is dominated by 20 women and eight men. Last year, the association sheared 2 800 sheep and produced 19 bales, earning R154 324. Between the 2022/23 and 2024/25 financial years, the shed produced bales that generated R456 301 in income. They currently have a steady market through BKB.
Chairperson of the association, Mr Mgcineli Koyo, said they were excited to receive the new shed after years of using mud structures that negatively affected wool quality.
“We are very happy today to have this building. It will change our children’s lives. When we started, we used mud houses, but they will now use a proper structure. We want to be an example and we promise government that with continued support, we can employ more than the nine young people we currently hire during shearing season in September,” said Koyo.
He added that farming has helped them feed and educate their children, and he hopes young people will recognise the value of agriculture. Koyo also urged farmers to unite in sharing resources and advice to fight sheep scab, a disease that affects wool quality.
The new shed is one of 20 constructed by the Department in the 2024/25 financial year. In the 2025/26 financial year, 12 more shearing sheds will be built to support communal and smallholder farmers in becoming commercially viable.
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