My name is Bafana Masego, and I come from Etwatha. I currently serve as one of the two managers at Roadgrass Investments in Balfour.
If you asked me as a boy what I wanted to be, I would have said a pilot. At that time, it seemed like everyone around me wanted the same, and I followed that dream. But life has its own ways of redirecting us. After matric, I found myself pulled in many directions, and eventually, I landed here—in agriculture, an industry I never imagined I’d love so much.
Before Roadgrass, I worked as a customer service attendant at Caltex. I did that for about five years. Life back then wasn’t easy; I was doing what I had to, but it didn’t feel fulfilling. I was searching for something more, even if I didn’t yet know what it was.
My first days at Roadgrass are difficult to put into words. It was different from anything I’d done before, yet it also felt familiar—like walking into a home I had always belonged to. That sense of belonging hasn’t left me; from my first year here until now, it has always felt like home.
As I stepped into my role, I realised it wasn’t just about learning the day-to-day responsibilities. It was about growing into a manager, finding my place in the company, and slowly building the confidence to lead.
My role as manager hasn’t drastically changed since I started, but I’ve grown tremendously as a person. At first, I didn’t know how much I was capable of. Over time, I discovered skills and strengths I had overlooked.
Working here showed me I could lead a team, something I never believed I could do before. It has also pushed me to think beyond work—about the kind of man I want to be, and even the kind of husband I want to become in the future. Roadgrass has opened my eyes to new possibilities and taught me lessons about myself that I carry beyond the farm.
The culture here is hard to describe in just one phrase. Yes, it feels like a family bond, but it’s even deeper than that. Roadgrass is people-oriented. Every aspect of the company is about building, motivating, and supporting one another to do better.
Unlike other companies I’ve worked for, here I feel connected. I feel like I’ve known my co-workers my whole life. We’re not just colleagues—we’re family. That sense of belonging is what makes this company unique.
And when I think about what I’ve learned from Lerato and Molly, it all comes back to consistency and hope. They’ve shown me what it means to stay true to yourself and reminded me that there’s always a light at the end of the tunnel, no matter how difficult things might seem.
Roadgrass means everything to me. When I joined, I was simply looking for employment—any opportunity I could take. But here, my bosses saw potential in me that I hadn’t seen in myself. They believed in me, and that belief has shaped my journey.
Now, Roadgrass isn’t just my workplace. It’s my home. It’s the place where I’ve grown, where I’ve been challenged, and where I’ve been supported. It has given me more than a career—it has given me a sense of purpose.
When I think about the future, I don’t imagine leaving behind a specific achievement or title. Instead, I hope to be remembered as part of a chapter in the company’s history. I want people to look back and say, “During that time, Bafana made a difference.”
My vision is for Roadgrass to continue growing, innovating, and thriving. I want my time here to be remembered as one of the many building blocks that helped the company move forward.
This is where I belong. Even on the hardest days, I stay because you don’t walk away from family. Just like family, we carry each other through good times and bad. That’s what makes Roadgrass more than a farm—it’s home.
If I could tell the world one thing, it would be this: agriculture is for everyone. Growing up, I thought farming was only for a certain group of people, or for those born into it. That couldn’t be further from the truth.
Today, agriculture is one of the fastest-growing sectors we have. If I had known ten years ago what I know now, I wouldn’t have wasted a single second doing anything else. Farming connects you to the land, to people, and to a future full of possibilities.
And along the way, there have been memories that remind me why I’m here. One of my favourites is from our year-end function in 2024. That was the first time I met everyone connected to the company in one place. It was a powerful moment of unity—a reminder that we are all part of something much bigger than ourselves.
In my personal life, my late father has been my biggest influence. He always had a plan, always had a solution for every problem. That’s the approach I carry with me, both in life and in my work. On the farm, I’ve learned to take knowledge from everyone around me. Each person has something to teach, and I never stop learning.
Every morning and every evening, I walk the farm. The early mornings and late nights are filled with the sounds of livestock, the freshness of the land, and the rhythm of farm life. It’s in those quiet, steady moments that I realise how far I’ve come, and how much this place means to me.
This is my story. This is Roadgrass.