R52 million Virginia Mega Poultry Project totally decimated
The R52 million Virginia Mega Poultry Project, which was meant to contribute to the transformation of agriculture in the Free State, has been totally decimated.
The project, which was constructed from 2014 to 2017, gave ownership to 14 female and 3 male youth beneficiaries.
It was promoted as benefiting the local community of Virginia and Meloding in the Matjhabeng Municipality.
The government’s financial investment in this project was R30 million in 2014, R9 million in 2015, and R13 million in 2016.
The Virginia Mega Poultry Project was meant to house 40,000 chickens and supply fresh eggs, poultry, livestock, and animal feed across South Africa.
However, this did not happen. An oversight visit to the project in 2018 identified problems that the Free State Department of Agriculture ignored.
In 2020, Dr Roy Jankielsohn, a member of the Free State Provincial Legislature, said that there was little visible activity at the project.
“The project is another example of how large sums of money are spent on infrastructure that then becomes underutilised and eventually redundant,” he said at the time.
“The government’s investment in such projects has failed to bring about any visible transformation of the agricultural sector.”
“It appears to have benefited only companies involved in the construction and development of infrastructure.”
He said that the project remained another example of how the wrong ideological formula of collectivism and state control continues to fail.
“It remains too easy for ANC politicians and officials in ANC-run governments to continue to squander money that does not belong to them,” he said.
Virginia Mega Poultry Project
In 2023, the Free State Department of Agriculture, Rural Development and Environmental Affairs cited the project.
At the time, the project had 11 beneficiaries, including 9 females and 2 males, of which 3 people were disabled.
The department said that in 2022, Virginia Mega Poultry entered into a strategic partnership with Moroka Chickens.
“The partnership will ensure that the project is operational by helping with the market and imparting technical knowledge and skills,” it said.
However, things did not work out as planned. In a press statement on 15 October 2026, Jankielsohn shed light on its current status.
He said the project has been plundered to the extent that there is little visible evidence of its existence.
He added that the necessary skills required to manage projects of this nature are not available within government.
“A private company offered to partner with the government on this project in 2020 to ensure the transfer of valuable experience and management skills,” he said.
“It would have also opened access to markets, local beneficiation and job creation, and long-term independence and financial sustainability of the project.”
However, this did not happen, and the project has, therefore, fallen into complete disrepair.
Virginia Mega Poultry Project in 2020
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Might as well have the chinese have control of this country.
At least this free looting will come to an end chop chop. The corrupt will be executed ( relieving the population growth ) free loading will be gone . Standards and schooling with standards and disciplinne be the order of the day. Yes and the corrupt and criminals executed bodies will be used for transplants, at least in death being usefull and paying back.