Grandma Nokhaya Mdoko from Extension 7 has been at the grinding stone for so long that she can’t even recall when she first planted vegetables. Together with a few other gogos, Mdoko was provided empty space by Mamu Nkwinti, to help the elderly to grow their own vegetables (spinach, peas, potatoes and carrots), to supplement their Social Grant.
Mdoko said the gogos used to pool their money in order buy seeds, and they would take turns selling the vegetable to shop owners in town. This has died out, Mdoko said sadly. It’s partly blamed on rampant theft of their tools after the garden fence was repeatedly broken.
Mdoko’s informal gogo collective would be overjoyed if they could get some seeds, pipes and a new fence.
