The reopening of the Gledhow Sugar Mill after an almost R1.8-billion investment is a much-needed positive boost for a struggling provincial sugar industry.

The adoption of Phase Two of the Sugarcane Value Chain Master Plan last week offered further hope ahead of a crucial Tongaat Hulett court date on Thursday (April 16).

Gledhow Mill’s reopening on Tuesday last week follows a successful business rescue process that began in 2023 and culminated in the Kenya-based Chatthe Group taking ownership of the KwaDukuza facility.

The mill, which includes a back-end refinery, is undergoing an extensive maintenance and upgrade programme aimed at improving efficiency and modernising production.

More than 200 local contractors have been employed for expansion work set for completion later this year, while around 400 direct mill jobs have been protected through the process.

Deputy minister of trade, industry and competition Zuko Godlimpi, who attended the relaunch, said the project demonstrated the positive outcomes of business rescue, highlighting new technology being introduced to improve efficiency and reduce reliance on fossil fuels.

Gledhow Local Grower Council chairman Guy Heenan said the rescue was crucial for the community.

“This news could not have come at a better time. There were no other mills in the area that could absorb Gledhow’s 1.5-million tonnes of cane,” said Heenan.

“The situation has been dire, but this takeover has given farmers security and financial stability.”

READ MORE: North Coast sugar crisis deepens as Gledhow Sugar Mill enters business rescue | North Coast Courier

Sugar industry representatives said the reopening reflects growing collaboration between government and stakeholders to stabilise the sector.

SA Canegrowers welcomed the signing of Phase Two of the Sugarcane Value Chain Master Plan to 2030 last Friday, which focuses on diversification, job security and improved efficiencies across the industry. The plan, signed just days after the Gledhow relaunch, aims to strengthen the sector as it faces pressure from rising input costs and competition from imported sugar.

SA Canegrowers chairman Higgins Mdluli called on retailers and food manufacturers to prioritise locally produced sugar to support rural livelihoods and economic sustainability.
“South Africa’s sugar industry is too important to fail,” said Mdluli.

Another important day for the industry is looming on April 16, when Tongaat Hulett returns to the KwaZulu-Natal High Court following an adjournment in February. The hearing will determine whether the provisional liquidation order sought by the company’s business rescue practitioners is granted.

The court outcome will also determine whether Tongaat Hulett’s mills at Maidstone, Amatikulu and Felixton will reopen in time for crushing season.