Be switched on and switch off

Silusapho Nyanda

THERE ARE VARIOUS things that South Africans can do to save electricity and avoid load-shedding.
A MPUMALANGA emerging farmer is ploughing ahead, having already won a prestigious award and secured a substantial contract for her maize.
A young female maize farmer is taking giant leaps towards becoming a successful commercial farmer.
Njabulo Mbokane (24), the owner of a 200-hectare non-genetically modified organism yellow maize farm, was recently named the South African Breweries (SAB) and FarmSol Young Emerging Farmer of the Year. The Ermelo-based farmer leases two farms; one in her hometown; where she grows crops, and the other in Lothair; where she raises sheep.Despite only starting farming in 2016, Mbokane already has a year-on-year maize contract with SAB.She is part of the FarmSol programme, which is an SAB Thrive Fund initiative aimed at funding Agri-SMMEs; providing technical training and support to emerging farmers; giving access to modern production inputs and patient financing to qualifying enterprises and enabling emerging farmers to find a route to market for their produce.“FarmSol mentors us and helps us with training. It also assists us in taking samples of the maize and soil.” Mbokane was financially unable to study further after matric but knew that agriculture held many opportunities for people with the will to work hard.“I started farming because I saw a gap that young people should explore and I went for it.”Mbokane employs three permanent staff members and hires 15 seasonal employees during peak periods. She is looking to expand her operations to include cattle and vegetables once she has secured her own land and farming equipment.Having her own tractors, for instance, will enable her to plant on time whereas with hired equipment, she can only plant when the tractor owner has finished his planting.Mbokane started the farm with her mother’s pension payout and said that young people need not wait for a big break before making a start on their farming dream. “Start with the little that you have, even if it’s the garden in your backyard, and grow from there,” she said.Be switched on and switch offThe ups and downs of farmingSilusapho NyandaThe Acting Station Manager of Eskom’s Matimba Power Station Obakeng Mabotja says the lack of sufficient power in South Af-rica impacts people’s lives be-cause normal activities cannot happen during load-shedding.Matimba Power Station is sit-uated in Lephalale, Limpopo.Mabotja explained that load-shedding occurs when Eskom is unable to produce enough electricity to meet the country’s demand. It is there-fore essential that all South Africans do their bit to use less power.
Tips to use less  electricity:
• Switch off lights when leaving a room• Use LED bulbs• Turn off appliances when they are not in use• Only use cold water, un-less necessary• Use a thermal blanket to cover your geyser.Several factors can hamper power production, including maintenance, unplanned shutdowns and, critically, the weather. Mabotja said that her Matim-ba, in particular, is affected by high weather temperatures. “On very hot days, the station is unable to produce power to its full capacity,” she said.The Matimba Power Station uses coal to produce electricity, and it is designed to generate 3990 MW. “Power is distributed via a distribution substation. It travels along high-voltage transmission lines and pass-es through step-down  transformers to lower the voltage. Electricity is then transmitted to the national grid.”The power station’s coal comes from Exxaro’s Grootege-luk mine. It is transported via a conveyor system to Matimba’s silos and bunkers, before going to the mills where it is crushed and converted into electricity, said Mabotja. 

