Ghost towns: The mills in Tongaat, Maidstone and Felixton have fallen silent. Photo: Delwyn Verasamy
While the sugar industry has shown green shoots amid the introduction of the Sugar Value Chain Master Plan, parliamentarians have warned that allowing Tongaat Hulett to collapse would undermine the gains.
During the portfolio committee on trade, industry and competition meeting on Tuesday, it emerged that the first phase of the plan has seen sugar sales increase from 1.25 millions tons to 1.55 millions tons. This augured well for the proportion of purchases by downstream users.
“In addition, there have been expanded efforts to support the 12 000 small-scale growers and increase transformation funding available to them. It also welcomed the finalisation of amendments to the sugar industry regulations in 2025,” the committee noted.
The South African Sugar Association and the delegation from the department of trade, industry and competition were briefing the committee on the implementation of the plan.
