BUSINESS PARTNERS BRING FARM AND FRESH MEAT TO ALL AT KASI

Business partners Tshepo Mahlangu and Ian Van Heerden of Olivers Livestock have brought farming and fresh meat to the people of Mamelodi by launching a livestock, restaurant and retail outlet in the township at the weekend.

Some members of the community were amased to see livestock in the township.

Mamelodi Amalgamated Taxi Association (MATA) chairman Ben Maredi cut a ribbon at the launch of the outlet in Extension 5 Mamelodi East, as a way of officially opening the place to the public.

He pleaded with the community of Mamelodi to support the business by coming to buy meat at the outlet every day.

While some members of the public started buying the meat right away, other community members were given free meat to taste.

Various community members expressed joy that they would never again travel long distances to buy cattle, goat or sheep as they will from now on buy these animals near their homes.

Co-owner of the outlet Tshepo Mahlangu told Tshwane Talks that he and his business partners are shareholders in the business.

“We were approached by owners of Olivers Livestock regarding a project wherein they wanted a partnership with businesspeople of Mamelodi,” said Mahlangu.

“The proposed project made good business sense that would also benefit the local community” said Mahlangu.

“We met formally in January this year to discuss the business project,” he explained.

“Many people travel far to get fresh meat when they have weddings and funerals and we thought it would be a good idea to cut their transport costs by bringing them fresh, clean, healthy livestock whereby they would be able to choose and buy what they want,” said Mahlangu.

He said he and his business partners always had an idea of bringing the livestock business to the township but that wasn’t easy at all.

Besides providing residents of Mamelodi with fresh meat, the business will also go far in providing locals with jobs in the field of security guards, cleaners and chefs, a cording to Mahlangu.

“In the coming weeks there will be community upliftment projects,” he explained.

“The cattle farming project will be focusing on beef farming, dual farming and ranching, dairy farming, milk and meat production,” he said.

Mahlangu explained that ranching involves raising cattle on large areas of land.

On top of playing a crucial role in food and livestock security, the farming project will also raise awareness about animal welfare according to Mahlangu.

He said they will work with a local NPO called MANAMOLA to identify employment opportunities for unemployed youths in the farming sector.

“The project is looking forward to creating opportunities in cattle farming for unemployed youth through training programmes with accredited community-based NPOs that are experienced in cattle farming and agriculture,” said Mahlangu.

“We are planning to supply all the buthcheries and chisa nyamas here in Mamelodi and surrounding areas with affordable grade A meat,” said Mahlangu’s business partner Ian Van Heerden.

According to Van Heerden, Olivers Livestock will be the soul of Mamelodi and they want to feed the children of Mamelodi by making sure each and every household eats meat which it can afford.

Olivers Livestock has been in the livestock farming business for over 25 years now according to Van Heerden.

“I am so happy to see livestock here eKasi and will buy straight from them as their meat looks fresh and is kept clean and healthy,” said local resident Maria Mapeya.

Another local resident Lorraine Mojako told Tshwane Talks that she will never travel far to get meat when she has weddings or funerals but will go to Olivers Livestock to cut transport costs.