sa canegrowerslatest news & developments
Ghost towns: The mills in Tongaat, Maidstone and Felixton have fallen silent. Photo: Delwyn Verasamy

How sugar’s rise and collapse shaped KZN

Tongaat Hulett, once the pride of the sugar belt and a 134-year-old industrial icon, has collapsed under the weight of mismanagement, scandal and shifting global markets

  • Eyaaz
7 min read
Intervention: Trade, Industry and Competition Minister Parks Tau, left, and his deputy Zuko Godlimpi believe a sustainable solution can be found to prevent Tongaat Hulett from being liquidated, thus preventing a devastating ripple effect across the economy. Photos: Supplied

Tau leads drive to save Tongaat Hulett

The government says the ailing company is a crucial player in South Africa’s sugar value chain and its demise would have ‘far-reaching and devastating consequences’ for the sector

  • Eyaaz
7 min read
Bitter impact: Tongaat Hulett’s liquidation will have a devastating ripple effect throughout not just KwaZulu-Natal but the entire country too, filtering right down to the consumer. Photo: Delwyn Verasamy

Tongaat Hulett collapse looms

Vision, the lead secured lender to the troubled sugar giant, said it was committed to saving the company and jobs despite the business rescue process failing

  • Eyaaz
5 min read
(Delwyn Verasamy/M&G)

Not so sweet: Sugar industry stakeholders fight about funding

Small-scale and black-owned sugarcane farmers along with land reform beneficiaries have received R238.9 million in funding for transformation, but transparency has now become an issue

  • Des Erasmus
2 min read
Cut up: Many sugar farmers in KwaZulu-Natal are in trouble after the mill at Tongaat Hulett, which is in business rescue, failed to pay them for their produce. (Delwyn Veasamy/M&G)

Sugarcane farmers ‘living in anxiety’ with industry still in business rescue

Tongaat Hulett can only exit business rescue once the approved plan is largely implemented or the company is no longer financially distressed

  • Eyaaz
5 min read
File photo: Getty Images

Tongaat Hulett business rescue on, but industry concerned over R900m in unpaid levies

Vision Partners say they will “engage and settle” with the SA Sugar Association

  • Umamah Bakharia
7 min read
Friday’s crucial creditors vote on a business rescue plan for troubled sugar giant Tongaat Hulett is set to be delayed again by court action by the South African Sugar Association (Sasa) to secure the R1.5 billion in unpaid industry levies it is owed. Photo: Delwyn Verasamy

UPDATED: Crucial Tongaat Hulett creditors vote is postponed again as parties head to court over unpaid industry levies

ANC funder Robert Gumede’s bid for the sugar giant may be on the rocks

  • Eyaaz
8 min read