Thabo Dithakgwe of Nasi Ditha Farming began farming at 13 on his farm at Tosca outside of Vryburg in the North West, with his father's gift of a pregnant heifer. He still serves as an example today for both young and old people that perseverance and hard effort are the keys to success in farming.
Thabo Dithakgwe, a resident of the village of Morokweng near Vryburg, describes himself on social media as "the youngest farmer." Since he began farming at 13, it has been his informal trademark. At 23, Thabo is a commercial livestock farmer who keeps more than 200 cattle, Boer goats, and sheep on Ottawa Farm, a 2,500-hectare farm outside Tosca, between Vryburg and Mahikeng, in the North West province.
Thabo registered and received his brand mark from the Department of Agriculture in 2015 when he was 14 after his dad Pushoetsile Dithakgwe gave him his first pregnant heifer. Operating as Nasi Ditha Farming Pty Ltd, Thabo named his business after his grandfather, who, he says, played a pivotal role in him becoming a farmer. Thabo says he learnt everything he knows from his late grandfather, Nasi Dithakgwe, and his dad. The two men set him on a path to becoming a successful livestock farmer with a bright future in the farming industry.
