The 134-year-old sugar giant, capable of milling 2 million metric tons annually and with operations across South Africa, Zimbabwe, Mozambique, and Eswatini, faces provisional liquidation.
“The department, together with other organs of state, will oppose the liquidation of Tongaat Hulett and will continue to support all lawful efforts aimed at finding a viable and durable resolution,” said Trade and Industry Minister Parks Tau.
He described the company as a “systemically important player” in South Africa’s sugar value chain and expressed optimism about its potential stabilization and restructuring.
250,000 jobs and 2 million tons of sugar at stake
That effort, which has spanned three years, has now failed, leading Vision to push for provisional liquidation to protect assets, maintain operational stability, and safeguard livelihoods tied to the company.
The scale of the economic impact is significant. Vision estimates that roughly 250,000 grower and supplier jobs in KwaZulu-Natal and Mpumalanga provinces are linked to the cane-growing sector, alongside 2,600 direct positions within the company itself.
The move by South Africa’s trade ministry comes at a delicate moment, as the country navigates broader trade challenges, including disputes with the United States and other global partners over market access and tariffs.
While the immediate future of the 134-year-old producer remains uncertain, the government’s intervention signals the importance of domestic industrial resilience in a complex international trading environment, with potential implications for agricultural sectors, export markets, and rural livelihoods.
