Owl City. Herschel, Eastern Cape.
Industrialising Herschel.
Made at home, sold at home. Owl City makes and grows on its own land what the Eastern Cape now buys from Johannesburg.
Siya Ngcangca, founder
Owl City
Made in HerschelOwl toilet paperDay-old chicksBonsmara cattleMerino sheepGoatsFresh produceDetergents comingMade in HerschelOwl toilet paperDay-old chicksBonsmara cattleMerino sheepGoatsFresh produceDetergents coming
What Owl City makes.
Everything in one place, on 22 to 24 hectares beside the regional road: businesses at the front, livestock at the back, fields for maize and potatoes. Owned land means no rent, so Owl City can sell for less.
Now
Owl toilet paper
Made on site, with an owl on every sheet.
Now
Day-old chicks
Hatched on site and sold in boxes of a hundred.
Now
Livestock
Bonsmara cattle, Merino sheep and goats.
Now
Fresh produce
Vegetables, maize and potatoes from the land.
Next
Detergents
Dishwashing liquid, washing powder and pine gel.
Next
Lounge, market and workshop
The Owl City lifestyle lounge, a farmers’ market and a tyre workshop, so Herschel stops driving 35 km for basics.
“When I was young, I had a vision that I need to do something in the community that I grew up in.”
Siya Ngcangca, founder, on The Penuel Show, October 2025
The founder. Five fronts.
01
Siya Ngcangca
Born near Herschel, raised in Brakpan, made in the pits. A mining engineer and GIBS MBA who sold peaches at school at twelve, and came home to build Owl City.
02
The pits
From Lonmin’s Western Platinum in Rustenburg to Siguiri in Guinea, Geita in Tanzania and coal in Tete. Employee of the Year 2012. Site of the Year 2011 to 2012.
03
TOCIPS
His consultancy applies the Theory of Constraints to mines, builders and manufacturers. Find the weakest link, raise the whole chain.
04
The voice
Author of two books and host of Limitless with Siya, and a recurring guest of Penuel The Black Pen, KONVO and MOYA.
05
The stage
Talks on the Theory of Constraints in mining, leading operations across Africa, building at home, mindset and money.
On the record
Owl City and the Original Hustlers Corner
The Penuel Show, October 2025. Siya on building Owl City. 22,000+ views.
Mining, zama zamas and Eskom
KONVO, April 2023. 61,000+ views.
Health, mini habits, lessons from Africa
KONVO, January 2024. 43,000+ views.
TOCIPS: more revenue, lower cost
The Penuel Show, August 2026. 10,000+ views.
Mining, music and record labels
KONVO, October 2022. 43,000+ views.