Tholakele Tania Bekwayo
First Year Protégé
Tholakele Tania Bekwayo is from Western Cape’s Khayelitsha and has a degree in Viticulture and Oenology from Stellenbosch University. She is in her first year of the Protégé Programme and is being mentored by Duncan Savage of Savage Wines.
Tholakele Tania says she’s always had a passion for nature and science, which started in primary school with gardening lessons and nature outings. In high school, she enjoyed life sciences, physical sciences, mathematics, and geography.
In her first year at Stellenbosch University, whilst studying Plants and Soil Sciences, she took a module in Grapevine Science, which she fell in love with. Because of this, she switched to a BSC in Viticulture and Oenology in her second year and has never looked back.
As a winemaker, Tholakele Tania wants to produce award-winning Cap Classiques and work in an environment that values the wine, environment, and people, encourages experimentation, and empowers women and people of colour. Tholakele Tania is also business-minded and passionate about giving back. In the future, she would like to address challenges facing the South African wine industry, such as alcohol abuse, low profitability from exports, lack of diversity in leadership, and climate change. She hopes to promote safe drinking, increase profitability, and promote sustainability in the South African wine industry.
