The Goat That Started an Empire: A Northern Cape Farmer’s Journey of Grit

In the dusty, sun-baked village of Kome near Kuruman, the rhythm of life is often set by the land. For Mary Baitsiwe, that rhythm has become the beat of a remarkable success storyone that began not with a loan or a grant, but with two scrawny goats and an unshakeable will.

Two decades ago, Baitsiwe was stacking shelves at a local supermarket, quietly saving her wages. In 2005, she used those savings to buy her first two goats. That modest purchase was the seed of Bokhutlo Trading Enterprise. Soon after, a friend repaid a small debt not with cash, but with a sheep. For Baitsiwe, it was a fortune.

“I still remember it like yesterday. I was so excited, and I immediately started to erect a kraal,” she recalls. With no formal training, she turned to the knowledge around her: her siblings, who grew up in a farming family like her, taught her livestock care and basic bookkeeping. “My father was a farmer… That environment gave me passion, a little bit of understanding and confidence.”

A Herd Built on Heart and Hard Work

That confidence, paired with relentless work, has yielded extraordinary results. From those three animals, her herd has blossomed. She now tends to 20 cattle, 89 sheep, 77 goats, 65 chickens, and 15 turkeys. “Sometimes I don’t believe this business started with only two goats,” she says, shaking her head.

But her impact is measured in more than livestock. Her enterprise employs four full-time young people from the area, plus casual workers, making her a cornerstone of local job creation. She doesn’t watch from the sidelines; her day starts at 5 AM alongside her staff and often ends at 8 PM. “My employees are my colleagues and friends,” she says, emphasizing a philosophy of shared effort and respect.

More Than a Farmer: A Community Pillar

Baitsiwe’s vision extends beyond the kraal. Bokhutlo Trading also offers cleaning, catering, and construction services, a diversification that buffers against the harsh realities of farming. She is a fervent believer that self-started businesses are the true engine for eradicating poverty, especially for the youth.

Her advice is steeped in the simple, powerful principles that have guided her: discipline, dedication, and loving what you do. “The success of my business comes from hard work, patience, consistency and loving what I do,” she states. These aren’t just slogans; they are the bedrock of her life, inherited from her parents and now passed to her three children.

When she finally rests, her favourite mealpap, meat, and vegetablesis a humble reward for a day’s honest labour. Mary Baitsiwe’s story is a potent reminder. In an economy often obsessed with startup capital and venture funding, she stands as a testament to a different kind of currency: passion, perseverance, and the transformative power of a single, well-loved sheep. She isn’t just farming animals; she’s cultivating hope, one goat at a time.