Ushering in a new era for wine in the country, Tshililo Ronald Ramabulana has been appointed as board chairperson of the new umbrella body SA Wine. Ramabulana, who took up his new role on 1 June 2023, brings more than two decades of experience in the agricultural industry.
He currently serves as the CEO of Olive Black Investment, a subtropical fruit and vegetable drying business with headquarters in Limpopo. He also chairs the Onderstepoort Biological Products Limited and Hortfin boards, and also serves on other industry-specific boards such as the Citrus Growers Association – Grower Development Company (CGA-GDC), where he is also the chairperson of the board.
Food For Mzansi reached out to him to speak about his new role and what he foresees for the wine industry.
Sinenhlanhla Mncwango: What would you want to do differently for SA Wine going forward?
Ronald Ramabulana: SA Wine represents one industry with a single voice. One of the things we see today is that we have got a diverse set of wine companies across the country. These have different perspectives, and as a representative body, we have often struggled to ensure we bring forward a truly unified position.
Wine companies’ views could be divided along many lines such as whether they are involved in their producer advocacy organisation and or not, whether they supply domestic markets or export markets, or whether they are small or large-scale businesses.
The reality is that we all face concerns around uncertainty and confidence in the market, stability of the currency, indecision on major infrastructure project investment, and a significant reduction in investment in the industry. By forgetting that these concerns are shared industry-wide, businesses are missing a key strength – the ability of the industry to speak with one voice. To drive decision-makers to action, businesses must galvanise as an industry and face the challenges as a group, with one strong shared voice.
What is the biggest thing you would like to achieve with SA Wine?
Improving the financial sustainability of companies in the industry is central to what SA Wine represents. The Wine Industry Strategic Exercise (WISE II) is aligned with the Agriculture and Agro-Processing Master Plan (AAMP). The board of South Africa Wine is committed to achieving the goals and objectives as set out in both WISE II and the AAMP. These goals and objectives speak to inclusive growth and financial sustainability.
What is your perspective on the South African wine industry?
The South African wine industry is resilient. Over the past five years, the industry has faced challenges ranging from Covid-19 lockdown restrictions, drought in the wine-grape growing regions, disruptions in global supply chains, high shipping rates and increases in input costs. The industry is slowly recovering from these challenges and currently enjoys increased demand in both our local and export markets.
We are an industry that is inclusive, transformed, and empowered. We have a representative board with targets and funding to increase the participation of black-owned entities in the industry. Using the Enterprise Development Fund, capitalised by wine companies’ levy contributions, and Hortfin, the ring-fenced loan facility financed most black-owned wine companies. Through this, we can increase the participation of black people in the industry.
The WISE II and the AAMP are committed to growing the wine industry’s global footprint. We will continue to be recognised as a supplier of premium wines worldwide. We are also investing in growing the per capita consumption of wine in South Africa sustainably and responsibly.
How can the wine industry improve agriculture in South Africa?
Considered by value, wine is the second largest contributor to exports of agriculture and food products. We contribute R54.96 billion to the GDP of South Africa. We support 269 096 jobs across the wine value chain. Finally, wine tourism contributes R7.2 billion to the economy and provides 36 406 employment opportunities.
The South African wine industry is different from other alcohol industries. Not only for its tourism destinations across the various wine regions that attract thousands of local and international visitors to the Cape Winelands and generate significant revenue for the economy but also because it is a unique asset to the country. The wine industry builds and maintains a strong brand reputation for the country.
SA Wine cares about the people who produce wine, our wine regions, our wine heritage, and the people who drink our wine. We want people to responsibly make and offer wine and those who consciously choose wine, to respect it as a product of culture and enjoy it responsibly as part of a balanced lifestyle.
What is your message to wine-grape farmers in South Africa?
The board of SA Wine and the management team are committed to creating an environment and interventions that seek to promote business growth in the wine sector, as well as financial sustainability. Working together, we will create a strong and representative industry we can all be proud of.
ALSO READ: Black citrus growers need urgent state support
Enjoyed reading? Tell us why with a quick 5-min survey
Sign up for Mzansi Today: Your daily take on the news and happenings from the agriculture value chain.
