About Makgitle Farm
A youth-owned commercial agricultural enterprise breeding hardy, colour-selected goats — using record-based husbandry rather than informal subsistence methods.
Our Story
Makgitle Farm is a commercial agricultural enterprise based in the village of Matibidi, in the Thaba Chweu Local Municipality of Mpumalanga. As a youth-owned enterprise, we're building a farm rooted in our community, with a focus on quality, health and honest record-keeping from day one.
We breed Kalahari Red, Savanna and Indigenous Veld goats — hardy breeds well suited to our local climate and grazing. Because traditional ceremonies often call for a goat of a specific colour, we deliberately breed for the colours most in demand — notably solid red and solid white animals — to serve a market that few local producers target.
We began with a core herd of 15 ewes and 1 buck, and we're growing that herd over time, shifting gradually from commercial meat goats toward higher-value breeding and ceremonial stock.
Matibidi sits 1,200–1,400 m above sea level, with a mild highland climate and around 1,200 mm of summer rainfall a year. Surrounding savanna grassland gives us natural forage well suited to small-livestock grazing, in a region where agriculture employs roughly 8% of the workforce.
Our Journey
We prove the core goat operation first, then improve our genetics — a deliberate, step-by-step approach to building a resilient farm.
Secure housing, fencing and a reliable water supply come first, followed by a founding herd of 15 ewes and 1 buck. Our priority is a high kidding rate and low kid mortality through preventative care, with selected young males sold to the local meat market to support early cash flow.
As the herd stabilises, female offspring carrying our premium buck's genetics reach breeding age. We steer breeding toward the ceremonial colours most in demand — chiefly solid red and solid white — alongside size and hardiness, and begin selling improved breeding and ceremonial stock at a premium across Mpumalanga.
Management & Organisation
The farm is owner-managed — the founder personally handles husbandry, finances, procurement and record-keeping. Detailed records are kept of breeding dates, kidding results, animal weights, vaccinations and feed use, supporting both good husbandry and full accountability.
As the herd grows, we plan to bring on additional help with daily routines — checking fences, feeding livestock and supporting the breeding programme — while the owner focuses on marketing, genetic selection and herd strategy.
To manage animal-health risk, we work closely with state veterinary services in the Ehlanzeni District (Mpumalanga DARDLEA), drawing on their vaccination programmes, local disease information and expert advice.
