As a black female and a winemaker, Nongcebo Langa is determined to make her mark in South Africa’s wine industry.
Born and bred in Pietermaritzburg, KwaZulu- Natal, she secured a bursary from the Department of Agriculture in high school. This, she says, set her on a path to pursue a career in agricultural sciences.
“I attended a seminar with other bursary holders, and the speakers at the event were professionals from different agricultural industries. I found the winemakers the most interesting,” recalls Langa.
It was the multifaceted nature of the winemaking industry – working in the laboratory, meeting with clients, being in the vineyards, and the potential for travel – that convinced her that a career as a winemaker was the right choice for her. And so she arrived in Stellenbosch in 2012 to embark on the degree BScAgric in Viticulture and Oenology. After completing the four-year programme, Langa enrolled for a master’s degree in Oenology.
There were not many female or black students when she started as an undergraduate, she says. She has had to claim her space as a woman in the wine industry, and at times, she had to remind herself that she deserved to be there. “Many females and black people are now joining the industry, although it might not always seem that way to people who don’t work there. The programmes and opportunities are in place.”
Having completed two internships, one at the Groot Constantia estate in the Western Cape, and the other at Highgate estate in KwaZulu-Natal, Langa joined Delheim in Stellenbosch as an intern in 2019. She was promoted to assistant winemaker in 2020, and to winemaker in May 2022.
She describes her role at Delheim as exciting. Among others, she has completed a four-month internship in California, United States, and has travelled across South Africa to promote Delheim wines and meet clients. A work trip to Germany is also on the cards. “I get to understand what people enjoy, and I can make recommendations from Delheim’s selection. I believe that wine is a people’s drink, and I enjoy selecting wines that suit people’s preferences,” she explains.
Asked about her plans for the future, she says while she wants to grow in her current position, she would eventually like to learn more about the entrepreneurship and business aspects of the wine industry.
She is hopeful about the future of the wine industry in South Africa and says many young female winemakers in training will join the industry in the next five to ten years. About her career trajectory to date, Langa comments: “Representation is so important, as we need to see people who look like us in the spaces that we aspire to be someday.”
- Matieland is Stellenbosch University’s biennial marketing magazine. This full-color publication is a reflection of the university’s vision to be a leading research-intensive institution on the African continent, globally recognised as excellent, inclusive, and innovative, and where knowledge is advanced in service of society. Available in both English and Afrikaans, and in both print and digital format, Matieland showcases the latest developments and accomplishments of the university’s faculty, staff, and students. Read more here:
https://console.virtualpaper.com/stellenbosch-university/matieland_dec22_eng/
