In the rugged and mountainous Drakensberg grasslands of South Africa’s Eastern Cape province, farmers rear sheep for food, cultural practices and financial security.
The steep slopes, cold winters, frost and seasonal droughts shape everyday farming life. In contrast to commercial farms with large fenced properties and hundreds of animals, families in the area’s communal villages typically own small flocks of around 10 to 50 sheep.
The animals are usually kept overnight in simple kraals (enclosures) near family homesteads, to protect them from theft, predators and harsh weather. During the day, they are herded onto communal rangelands, where households share grazing areas.
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