CAPE TOWN - Just 12km from where Paul Siguqa, 41, grew up selling fruit and watching his mother make a living as a farmworker, now stands his own Klein Goederust Franschhoek Boutique Winery.
This is the first and only 100% black-owned wine farm in Franschhoek.
Siguqa came from humble beginnings in the Eastern Cape and was raised by a single mother with his sister later moving to Backsberg farm near Franschhoek, where his mother laboured for more than 30 years.
With no playgrounds around, when Siguqa was not at school he was helping around at the farm and quickly took to the science behind making wine. At the age of 17, he started selling fruit to raise money for university.
While studying business at Stellenbosch Business School and later working at a media company, Siguqa held on to his dream of one day buying his own vineyard and making wine.
That day came to fruition in 2019 when he acquired the 116-year-old Klein Goederust farm and transformed its dilapidated state from his savings of many years, to a promising boutique wine farm.
Through the assistance of his close friend and winemaker, Rodney Zimba, Siguqa sourced the first wines, carefully blended and last week officially opened the restaurant and tasting room.
“When you grow up on a farm your world is very small and there are no role models like lawyers and doctors around. All I knew and saw was business and farm work. There is also this narrative that if you are a child of a farm labourer you are expected to follow suit and become a farmworker just like your parents. It’s important to break that notion because South Africa is full of possibilities and opportunities. I am a living testimony that farm children are more than their backgrounds,” he said.
His mother always talked about the importance of education and encouraged him not to become a farm labourer like she was.
“My mother has been my motivation and inspiration since day one. She worked in the sparkling wine or champagne room and I would watch her with keen interest. She started as a wine farm labourer, then she was promoted to work in the cellars, where she learnt how to make various wines.
“So I still consult with her due to her experience. To honour her sacrifices I have named my top wine the MCC (méthode cap classique) after her, Nomaroma ,” he said.
He said searching for land has been a struggle because it's very expensive.
“The biggest barrier for black people entering this kind of space is access to land and affordability. I acquired the place through many years of savings; this is not a government funded farm. The neighbouring farms have warmly welcomed us, shown support, and the owners of the neighbouring La Motte wine farm are my mentors.
“So far we have managed to create 17 jobs. The restaurant offers South African cuisine and meat on fire. Our Nomaroma is brut (dry) and our style is the modern way of making wine. We now need more support from customers. The goal is to create more jobs and get more land for production,” said Siguqa.
Minister of Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development, Thoko Didiza said the opening of the wine tasting room and restaurant at Klein Goederust farm was testimony to the government's efforts of ensuring equitable access and participation of black people in the wine value chain and the wine industry.
Agriculture MEC Ivan Meyer said producer support and development was one of his priorities and handing over a new tractor was in addition to the Western Cape Department of Agriculture’s (WCDoA’s) earlier contribution towards upgrading the irrigation system.
“Further support is also provided by the WCDOA’s extension and advisory services. Agri-businesses such as the Klein Goederust Franschhoek Boutique Winery will contribute to further job creation within the agricultural sector in the Western Cape,” said Meyer.
Congratulating Siguqa, theatre-maker and human rights activist Marlene le Roux said: “I am so proud of you for being the owner of Klein Goederust in Franschhoek. How wonderful to know that a child of a farm laborer can own prime land in the new South Africa. Bought with his own money.”