Nontetho Smith

Nontetho Smith was born in Nquthu, a rural town in northern KwaZulu-Natal. She later moved with her family to Durban. Today, she is the founder and managing director of Uthingo Mills, a successful agri-processing company producing one of South Africa’s most essential staple foods. Alongside this, she also runs a non-profit organisation, Look Up Ark, which supports people battling with addiction and alcoholism by helping them find recovery. In addition, she manages a small record label dedicated to South African gospel music, nurturing a few artists.

Through her non-profit work, Nontetho regularly visits schools, gives talks on radio, and partners with organi
sations addressing gender-based violence to discuss the link between substance abuse and domestic harm.
For Nontetho, each of these ventures represents more than just business. “I have always been inspired to do
something purposeful,” she says. “With my journey being one of recovery from addiction, that has become my inspiration to help others get to where I am.”

CHILDHOOD MEMORIES
Nontetho’s venture into maize milling can be traced back to her childhood. She recalls how her grandmother and great-grandmother would grind maize using a manual grinding machine to make maize meal for the community. “We never used to get a lot of visitors, but every Friday or Saturday, people would come to collect maize meal,” she remembers warmly.

Years later, while listening to a radio interview in which a government official mentioned the lack of women in agriculture, that memory returned vividly. “The picture of my grandmother grinding maize came into my mind,” she says. That decision marked the birth of Uthingo Mills, an enterprise built with the vision of providing an affordable, high-quality product while creating jobs and uplifting communities. “When I studied marketing, I learnt that maize meal is a staple product,” she explains. “Even during Covid, when everything shut down, food remained a necessity.”

For Nontetho, the true value of her company lies in the people who make it thrive. “I pay a lot of attention to the person, not just the deliverables,” she explains. “I take an interest in who I bring into my space, what their goals are, and how I can help make their lives better.”

She recalls one story that reflects her leadership philosophy. “I needed someone to handle merchandising,
and a young man was recommended to me,” she says. “He had been unemployed for five years and borrowed money just to come to the interview.” That man is now one of her most dedicated employees. “He has helped me get into shops I never thought I could reach. When people see that you value them, they give you their best.”

BUILDING BEYOND BARRIERS
Starting a maize milling business required not only vision but also immense financial courage. It took her three years to raise the required capital. She secured a contract with Spar even before she had the funds to begin production. “They told me that when I was ready, I could bring my brand in,” she says. “That opportunity gave me the leverage to raise the money.”

Today, Uthingo Mills supplies to a range of distributors across KwaZulu-Natal, from KwaMashu and Phoenix to Kokstad and the South Coast. With the assistance of her husband, Chris Smith, the company has expanded into Gauteng, including Soweto and Johannesburg. “Our next goal is Limpopo,” she says. Her ambitions stretch beyond national borders. “There are opportunities in Congo and Zambia because they often buy from South Africa,” she explains.

However, the path to success has not been without obstacles. “Maize meal is very price-sensitive,” Nontetho
says. “If you are not in many regions, it is difficult to negotiate better prices or get discounts on packaging
and supplies. Every time we grow into a new region, we need the same amount of capital to sustain that
growth.”

Mentorship has played a crucial role in her entrepreneurial development. At a milling conference in Johannesburg, she met a seasoned expert who became a long-term mentor. “Frans Duur has been my mentor for more than ten years now and has never failed to take my call.” His guidance helped her understand production processes, quality standards, and cost management.

Reflecting on her own experience, Nontetho believes mentorship is indispensable for anyone starting a
business. “It is important to understand the industry you are entering and whether it is profitable and sustainable,” she advises. “Get people who have been there before to guide you, even if only for a short time.”

ALIGNED WITH PURPOSE
Despite her busy schedule, Nontetho remains committed to her passion for helping others through Look Up Ark. “It is so fulfilling when someone calls to say, ‘I have not had a drink in three months because of what you said,’” she says. “Moments like that remind me why I do what I do.”Faith and spirituality also play a central role in her life. “I am a woman of faith, so prayer and meditation work for me,” she says. “There is a day called the Sabbath, a day of rest, when I switch off my phone and focus on recharging.” She also finds joy and relaxation through music, often listening to the gospel artists she manages.

To the younger generation, Nontetho offers advice grounded in experience. “Try to align your work with your
purpose,” she says. “There will be difficult times, and if your work does not fulfil you, it is easier to give up.”
She recalls a conversation with a friend who had retired early but found herself unhappy. “She told me she had made enough money and now spends her mornings drinking because she feels purposeless,” Nontetho
explains. “There needs to be something more than just making money. For me, purpose lies in helping people, whether through feeding communities, providing jobs, or guiding someone through recovery.”
Her story is one of vision and perseverance. “At the end of the day,” she reflects, “if what I do touches even one life, then it has all been worth it."