SUGAR INDUSTRY AND MPUMALANGA GOVERNMENT JOIN FORCES

Cedric Mboyisa

The sugar industry and Mpumalanga Premier Mandla Ndlovu have committed to working together to ensure the sustainability of the sector in the industry.

Above: Mpumalanga Premier Mandla Ndlovu.

This undertaking came after a fruitful engagement between Premier Ndlovu and industry leadership last month (November). The South African Sugar Association (SASA) delegation, led by Vice-Chairperson Trix Trikam, and industry leadership from South African Farmers Development Association (SAFDA), South African Cane Growers’ Association (SACGA) and South African Sugar Millers’ Association (SASMA) embarked on a visit to Mpumalanga on 4-6 November to hold critical engagements with the provincial government, led by Premier Mandla Ndlovu. The industry delegation was hosted by RCL FOODS.

This was the follow-up engagement between the industry and the Premier – with the first meeting having taken place earlier this year in January, wherein industry leaders sensitised the Premier about the need to extend  sugar tax moratorium to 2030, so that it could be in line with the lifespan of the all-important Sugarcane Value Chain Master Plan to 2030, which is aimed at ensuring and securing the sustainability of the industry through apex objectives such as the optimisation of the local market and coming up with clearly defined diversified solutions.

ABOVE: RCL FOODS (Sugar) Managing Director Michela Cutts.

On the first day, 4 November 2025, the industry had an engagement with the Premier in Malelane to give him an update on crucial issues including the exigent matter pertaining to the escalating surge in sugar imports, which are quickly nearing a billion-rand mark in terms of monetary value (equal to the displacement of locally produced sugar). “We need the full support of national government, provincial spheres (Mpumalanga and KwaZulu-Natal), to achieve this. Without an appropriate reference price/tariff, the industry’s sustainability is at risk. The surge in sugar imports this season has reached crisis levels, threatening rural livelihoods, small-scale growers and the whole value chain. The import crisis is exacerbated by the 30% US reciprocal tariffs which will significantly diminish our export revenue,” said Trikam.

The contribution of the province to the industry was also hailed. The industry is crucial for the economic development of Mpumalanga. Towns such as Malelane have been established as the result of the crucial economic contribution by the industry.  The industry is also actively involved in community development – in the case of Mpumalanga, the industry has, for years now, been running an early childhood development programme in rural areas including the Nkomazi region.  Furthermore, the industry, through RCL FOODS, has become synonymous with the annual Selati Cup, which has gained nationwide acclaim for its contribution to football development in the region.

(1) SASMA Chairperson Rolf Lűtge.
(2) RCL FOODS Joint Venture CEO Stella Mthembu.
(3) Mpumalanga Agriculture MEC Khethiwe Moeketsi visiting the Ngogolo small-grower cooperative.

(4) SAFDA Head of Grower Development. Sifiso Mnguni.
(5) SA Canegrowers CEO Dr Thomas Funke.
(6) Mpumalanga Premier and Nkomazi Local Municipality Mayor Phindile Magagula with SASA Vice-Chairperson Trix Trikam and Management.
(7) Mpumalanga Agriculture MEC Khethiwe Moeketsi listening attentively during the briefing at Ngogolo.
(8) Mpumalanga Agriculture MEC Khethiwe Moeketsi in conversation with SASA External Affairs Director Portia Mpofu and RCL FOODS (Sugar) Managing Director Michela Cutts.
(9) Mpumalanga Agriculture MEC Khethiwe Moeketsi, RCL FOODS Corporate Affairs Director Caeser Kenny, SASA External Affairs Director Portia Mpofu and RCL FOODS (Sugar) Managing Director Michela Cutts.

It was also revealed that RCL FOODS (Sugar), under Managing Director Michela Cutts, had been running a successful land reform programme in the province. This has resulted in about 35% of the total cane supply coming from community partnerships with land reform beneficiaries and small-scale growers (SSGs). It is a journey which started in 2006, with the aim of transforming the sugar supply chain by increasing local community participation and ownership. Premier Ndlovu expressed his full support for the industry and undertook to intervene in resolving identified challenges which had proved inimical to the growth and sustainability of the industry in the province.

The second day, 5 November 2025, saw the industry delegation, Agriculture MEC Khethiwe Moeketsi and her team going on an oversight visit to some of the land reform projects such as Ngogolo, Lugedlane, Phaphamani Women’s Club and Townlands RCL, which all focus, in the main, on SSGs. The highly successful three-day intensive engagement culminated in a tour of the RCL sugar mill, showcasing the company’s efficient operations, which are central to the economic stability and growth in the region/province.