From selling firewood in a rural village to co-owning a fast-growing poultry and charcoal business supplying towns across the OR Tambo district, Sibusiso Mfazwe has turned his dream of self-employment into reality.
The 32-year-old from Khwanyana village in rural Port St Johns is now the co-founder of Sajonisi Chicken Co-operative, a business he runs with partner Siyabonga Sacoyi.
Together, they supply chicken, eggs, wood and charcoal to clients in Port St Johns, Lusikisiki, Libode and as far afield as Mthatha.
But the journey began with unemployment — and a refusal to accept it as permanent.
Though Mfazwe looked for work after completing matric in 2016, being employed by someone else was never his true ambition.
“I felt very sad when I could not find a job in 2017 but in reality, growing up, I always wanted to have my own thing,” he said.
“For as long as I can remember, I have dreamt of waking up at my own time and becoming my own boss instead of having to wake up because some company wants me to go to work.”
He was equally determined not to leave his village in search of work.
“I hated the idea of having to leave home and move into town, pay rent and use transport because someone else expected me to go to work.
“To me that meant I would not be able to focus on my own things.”
Seeing opportunity in his surroundings, Mfazwe began cutting and selling firewood from the forests around Khwanyana.
His customers included restaurants, fuel stations, butcheries and retail shops in Port St Johns, with demand later extending to Lusikisiki.
“The response was overwhelming. My clientele included tourists who frequented our town,” he said.
Looking to diversify, he researched charcoal production and soon began producing and packaging his own brand for local sale.
The turning point came in 2025, when he joined forces with Sacoyi.
Sacoyi, 35, had long shown entrepreneurial instincts. While studying for a master’s degree in public administration at Walter Sisulu University, he ran a 24-hour spaza shop from his student residence room.
“At school, I ran this spaza shop in my room which operated 24 hours, selling everything needed by fellow students including bread, milk and eggs.
“It was a success because the nearest shop was Myezo Spar, which closed at night,” he said.
After graduating in 2018, Sacoyi worked as an intern at Port St Johns local municipality and later at Nyandeni local municipality. But business remained his passion.
“I have always been passionate about one day having my own successful business.”
When the Covid-19 lockdown hit in 2020, Sacoyi returned home to Mthumbane township and ventured into poultry farming.
“I thought of many things I could do but ended up choosing to go into poultry farming. I approached some of my friends in our area with this idea.”
Using his savings, he bought 50 day-old chicks for R500, reared them and sold them at a profit.
The two entrepreneurs met at local business meetings for young people in Port St Johns.
They realised their ventures complemented each other — Mfazwe had supply but faced transport challenges, as Khwanyana is about 40km from town.
Sacoyi already had operating space closer to customers.
“We then discussed the possibility of becoming business partners and joining forces and that is how our company was born in 2025,” Sacoyi said.
“I already had a place from which I was working and he was able to move in with me.”
Today, Sajonisi Chicken Co-operative rears more than 800 chickens and also buys eggs from other young entrepreneurs to resell, strengthening local networks.
The journey has not been without setbacks. Mfazwe said he once secured approval for R100,000 in government funding but was allegedly scammed after being instructed to pay money into a fraudulent bank account.
Despite that experience, the partners remain focused on growth.
“We do everything ourselves now,” Mfazwe said.
They say additional support — particularly for equipment such as a modern charcoal-making machine — would help expand production.
Their long-term vision is to grow Sajonisi into a major enterprise that creates jobs for unemployed youth in the Eastern Cape.
For Mfazwe, the goal remains deeply personal.
“I have always wanted to be my own boss.”
Daily Dispatch
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