A new era dawned as the MEC for Agriculture in the Eastern Cape, Nonceba Kontsiwe, officially welcomed and inducted the new Eastern Cape Rural Development Agency (ECRDA) Board at Esplanade Street, Quigney in East London on 12 June 2025.
The agency, whose priority mandate is to drive the commercialisation of rural agriculture, has been plagued by several maladministration issues in the past.
The new board is led by Phumzile Goodwin Zitumane as chairperson, whose leadership is expected to bring clarity, discipline and bold thinking to propel the agency forward, with Dr Noncedo Princess Dorcas Khewu, an academic and governance specialist, as his deputy.
“We got a clear mandate from the MEC in terms of what is expected from us as the agency, and that was supported by the head of the department, who presented what the department stands for and how we should align our plans as the agency to those of the department,” the new chairperson, Mr Phumzile Goodwin Zitumane, said.
During the induction, Kontsiwe said she expects the board members to guide the officials of the agency to govern the entity and ensure they adhere to the targets of the department.
“They need to help build farmers from being emerging farmers to commercial farmers, and to facilitate loans and help them financially.
“Most importantly, they need to strengthen the food security programme of the department,” she said.
She also urged the members to uphold ethical principles as she emphasised the importance of ethical leadership, calling on the board to spearhead catalytic projects that will transform rural economies and uplift communities across the province.
