Where others simply saw a dam providing water for livestock in a rural village, Tebogo Matlonoko saw a business opportunity waiting to be exploited.
Together with other residents, Matlonoko established the Thota ya Tau Fish Harvest Primary Cooperative to create employment opportunities through fishery operations.
The project recently received a boost with funding of R300 000 from the National Development Agency (NDA).
Matlonoko, the project mana-ger of Thota ya Tau Fish Harvest Primary Cooperative, shared that the journey began in 2001 when the traditional authority in GaMothibi, in North West, allocated land to it.
Significant funding was received in 2017 from the North West Department of Agriculture and Rural Development.
“We started the cooperative in 2001, identifying the nearby community dam as a potential resource.
“With high levels of unemployment and poverty in our area, we decided to venture into fish farming.
“In 2003, we met with the local traditional leadership of GaMothibi, who allocated us the land,” Matlonoko explained.
He added that once they -received the land, Thota ya Tau Fish Harvest Primary Coope-rative was guided by the Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment, as well as the North West Department of Agriculture and Rural -Development, to obtain the necessary fishing permits.
“I first encountered the NDA when they hosted cooperative workshops. This journey began in 2020, during which we were required to submit numerous documents and they assisted us through the entire funding process.
“Fortunately, the funding was approved, and here we are today. Our persistence and patience paid off,” he said.
The cooperative’s work cycle begins every Monday with fishing, cleaning and freezing the fish for customers.
“We ensure that the fish is not stored for too long to maintain its freshness,” Matlonoko said.
The cooperative supplies local markets, including those in the Northern Cape, and also serves out-of-town suppliers who resell to restaurants in Johannesburg.
“The potential of this project is evident to all of us. This is your wealth; you must treat this fish as gold,” North West MEC for Social Development, Basetsana Susanna Dantjie said during a recent event to hand over equipment to the project.
