Cecilia Nthabeleng Makgatho’s Path From Film Studies to Nguni Farming

Before 2020, Cecilia Nthabeleng Makgatho planned to build a career in film. She prepared to travel to New York for postgraduate studies in film production. The Covid 19 outbreak stopped her plans instantly. Travel closed. Her studies stalled. Her future shifted in a direction she never expected.

She stayed on her family’s farm near Bronkhorstspruit during lockdown. The first weeks felt quiet and familiar. She began learning the farming methods her mother had used to run the operation. Her parents, Assyia Tlou and Primerose Makgatho, had started the AP Agricultural Primary Cooperative in 2015. They built a strong Nguni cattle herd on a 639 hectare farm through a long term land reform lease.

Her mother believed that land must produce value. She taught that a farm must operate with purpose. Cecilia understood those lessons. She did not expect to run the farm herself.

In April 2021, her parents and older brother died within days due to Covid 19. The loss changed everything. They had created the cooperative and shaped the family’s direction. Her brother had prepared to continue the work. When they passed, she felt as if her future was unclear.

She had grown up around cattle, but she had not planned to take over the business. She struggled through months of uncertainty. She did not know where to start.

A call from the Gauteng Department of Agriculture shifted her thinking. Production scientist Maliviwe Mpayipheli contacted her about submitting Nguni cattle records for the cooperative. He oversees the Gauteng IDC Nguni Cattle Development Project, which supports farmers who raise the breed.

Cecilia did not know how to keep production records. Her mother had remembered every detail. She decided to learn. That choice helped her reconnect with the work her parents built. She understood that the herd needed active management. She accepted the responsibility and committed to keeping the farm running.

This marked her start as a farmer.

The Gauteng IDC Nguni Cattle Development Project supplies eligible farmers with in calf heifers and a bull for a five year cycle. Farmers return the same number and quality of animals at the end of the period. This system allows the next farmer to begin with a quality herd.

The project is managed by GDARD, the Industrial Development Corporation and the University of Pretoria. GDARD provides funding and extension support. The IDC strengthens development capacity. The University of Pretoria offers technical knowledge.

With this support, Cecilia learned herd management, breeding practices and record keeping. Her confidence grew as she gained practical skills. She no longer viewed herself as a placeholder. She began to build her own path in agriculture.

Today she sees farming as her long term work. She maintains the legacy her parents created and strengthens the cooperative for the future. Her story reflects the resilience and commitment that define many young farmers. It shows how guidance and determination can help a new farmer step into a demanding role and succeed.