Exxaro Resources has opened a R36m sheep shearing and hydroponics facility in EliXeni Village, Cofimvaba, Eastern Cape, bringing livestock and hydroponic production infrastructure together to support agricultural activity in three local villages.
The facility, developed through Exxaro Matla Mine’s Social and Labour Plan (SLP), is intended to support farmers and hydroponics beneficiaries in the villages of EliXeni, eThunzini, and Ezingxingweni through sheep shearing, wool production, and vegetable cultivation.
The project includes a sheep shearing shed, dip infrastructure, equipment, a packhouse and hydroponics infrastructure. Exxaro says 74 people have benefited from employment opportunities created during the project.
The shearing operation will be able to process up to 500 sheep per day during the annual shearing season, with expected wool production of about 22,418kg a year.
The hydroponics enterprise consists of two tunnels and is expected to produce approximately 90,000 heads of lettuce and spinach annually.
Sheep and hydroponics brought together
The facility combines conventional livestock farming with Nutrient Film Technique (NFT) hydroponics, providing infrastructure for both sheep farmers and vegetable producers in the surrounding communities.
Ben Magara, CEO of Exxaro, said the facility was intended to create economic opportunities beyond the company's mining operations.
“For Exxaro, impact is measured not only by what we extract from the ground, from solar and wind, but by what we help communities build beyond the surface for generations to come.
"This facility brings together traditional farming and modern agricultural technology to create sustainable economic opportunities, while demonstrating how SLPs can translate mining investment into meaningful socio-economic development.
"Although Cofimvaba is not a host community to our mining operations, it is part of our broader labour-sending footprint, and we believe our responsibility extends to the communities from which our people originate.
"By investing in productive infrastructure and sustainable livelihoods, we are helping build stronger, more resilient communities and ensuring that the benefits of mining extend beyond the mine boundary.”
The project is expected to provide productive infrastructure that can support agricultural income generation while contributing to local food production.
Facility supports local farmers
The facility was officially handed over to local farmers during its opening, with Minister of Mineral and Petroleum Resources Gwede Mantashe highlighting its potential contribution to agricultural development in the community.
“We are pleased to hand over the newly constructed sheep-shearing shed to local farmers in Cofimvaba. We thank Exxaro for contributing to the construction of this important facility through its Social and Labour Plan.
"Named after the late Deputy President of the National Union of Mineworkers (NUM), Crosby Moni, the facility will support local farmers, create sustainable economic opportunities and strengthen agricultural development in the community.
"This is the transformation we seek to achieve in the mining industry, where mining is not only seen as extractive, but also as a catalyst for socioeconomic development and improved livelihoods. Mining must leave a lasting and positive legacy in both host communities and labour-sending areas.”
The facility forms part of Exxaro's wider community investment through its SLP programme, with the company saying it will continue working with government, communities and other stakeholders on socio-economic development initiatives.
The opening also coincides with Exxaro's 20th anniversary of its listing on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange.
