Source article published 05 August 2024

In the Eastern Cape village of Goboti, a rural village near Ngcobo, a community effort has transformed life for the better and made sure that everyone has enough to eat. Led by Reverend Gcobani Vika, Goboti has become a shining example of community-led development.

What was the problem?

Goboti, in the Eastern Cape, faced the same challenges as many other South African communities: crumbling infrastructure, youth unemployment, substance abuse, and deepening poverty and hunger. Many families struggled to meet their basic needs.

How did they solve it?

In 1995, the residents of Goboti gathered to make a plan for their village, guided by  Reverend Gcobani Vika, a local Methodist leader. They formed a non-profit called Friends of Goboti and started small, first rebuilding the Methodist church. Later, they added five classrooms. Next, they improved the roads to the village. Today, Friends of Goboti is tackling poverty through food production, creating jobs and bringing about local development. 

What made it work? 

• Building on local strengths - “We are blessed with good soil. You can plant anything here. And we draw our water from the mountain,” says Reverend Vika. These local assets have meant that Friends of Goboti can increase local food production, with every household encouraged to plant food. Community members grow maize, sweet potatoes and other food crops, with profits split between landowners (20%) and those who work the land (80%). 

• Supporting young people - To address substance abuse in Goboti, the village came together to provide opportunities for young people. They pooled resources to buy netball and soccer kits to get them active in sports, and actively engaged young people in the work of improving their village, from repairing roads and bridges to helping work the land.

• Local ownership - Initially, friends of Goboti distributed food parcels. But Vika emphasises, “We will not depend on them. They are just used for an emergency. We must be able to look after ourselves. We are beating poverty and we are providing job opportunities.” 

• Government and community collaboration - In 2024, Eastern Cape MEC for rural development and agrarian reform, Nonceba Kontsiwe, handed over a tractor and tools to the Goboti Residents Association. The community has collected R100 per household to help maintain the tractor, which is used to plough an additional 200 hectares of farmland.

By using what they have and finding ways to work together, Goboti’s residents have built pride, purpose, and a sense that they can shape their future, lessons every community in South Africa can learn from. 

Acknowledgements:

Original article written by: Estelle Ellis

Photograph supplied by: Reverend Gcobani Vika

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