One of the University’s very successful graduates continues to make a name for herself by winning awards for dedication to agriculture and making food available. Siphindile Xulu won the Best Entrepreneur category award on 1 November 2025. This was one of 13 categories in the Sakha Isizwe Community Awards, hosted by Sakha Isizwe FM. Some of the other categories were Best Artist, which was won by Thobeka Umqhele Mkhize; Best Hustler, which was won by Bongumusa Magwaza; Job Creations, which was won by Ntombifuthi Zondo; and Best Fashion Designer, which was won by Thulile Nala.
The always joyful Xulu thanked everyone who supports her business called AGRIGLAM. Xulu, who graduated with a Diploma in Community Extension in 2021, and an Advanced Diploma in Agricultural Extension and Community Development in 2022, says she is currently not coping with the demand for her vegetables from her neighbours in eNgonyameni, where she lives with her family. eNgonyameni is a tribal area bordering Umlazi Township near Durban, KwaZulu-Natal. Xulu plants spinach, green peppers, sweet peppers, onions, amadumbe (yams), chillies, carrots and two varieties of cabbage. This variety allows her to plant year-round. Spinach is the most popular vegetable. Xulu comes from a farming background; her grandparents were farmers. “Growing up in that kind of environment made me develop a love for farming. When I was at Zwelibanzi High School in Umlazi Township, I studied agriculture. After high school, I knew I wanted nothing else than to study agriculture at university,” said Xulu. Xulu said the realities she observed around her, such as high unemployment and food insecurity, inspired her to start farming. She chose vegetable farming because it is an easy way to start a business with low costs, and vegetables are a basic need for every household. Some vegetables take about three months to grow and mature, and then they are ready for harvest. Spinach is one of them.