Duckie Ngcobo: Always have a new plan ready

When Gugulomuzi Ngcobo of Summerhill farm in Donnybrook, KwaZulu-Natal was named the Agricultural Research Council's (ARC) Small-scale Dairy Producer of the Year in 2024, it marked the pinnacle of a remarkable success story.

- By Izak Hofmeyr

At 71, while he has begun considering succession, he is far from slowing down and still has bold plans for his dairy operation.

Known as Duckie in his hometown, he was born the son of a farmworker who worked his way up to become a dairy farm manager - an induna, as the position was called in those days. When Duckie was old enough to start working, his first job was on the same farm. One of his most valuable life lessons, he recalls, came with his very first paycheque in 1970, which was a modest R23,75.

“My father took me to the Post Office and helped me open a savings account. He made me deposit R23 and told me I could spend the remaining 75 cents. That moment shaped the way I’ve lived my life ever since – I save as much as I can and spend as little as possible.”

Over time, Duckie was enrolled in a course to obtain his heavy vehicle driver's licence. However, he had bigger ambitions than driving trucks on a farm, dreaming of owning a farm himself. Knowing he would never be granted permission to leave, he decided to run away, securing a job as a truck driver in Ixopo.

Eventually, he secured a job as a long-distance truck driver with Tanker Services, a job he held for 15 years. By the end of that period, he had saved enough money to purchase a minibus taxi and launch his own taxi service. Two years later, he expanded his business by acquiring a second minibus.

When Summerhill in Donnybrook came up for sale in the 1990s, Duckie approached the agent and made an offer which was accepted. He purchased Summerhill outright for R450 000.

From humble beginnings