Zamimpilo Community Market in Ophondweni, Mtubatuba Rural, KwaZulu-Natal

The Zamimpilo Community Market project was born from a group of women whose husbands had lost their jobs in the mines and who decided to do something about their plight.

They received assistance from the Department of Agriculture and formed associations and established vegetable gardens and hand-craft projects in order to support their families and send their children to school.

Realizing the potential market of the passing tourists, they built a wooden structure amongst themselves and their families, and began experiencing unprecedented success in scooping up first prizes in both the local Agricultural shows and the main Hlabisa District Agricultural Show, consisting of 4 Tribal Authorities.

Such was their success that the Department of Agriculture stepped in and assisted with training and building shelters and toilets for these entrepreneurs and today the Zamimpilo Community Market is a favourite stop-over for tourists as well as locals who travel the N2 between Richards Bay and Piet Retief.