300-Year-Old Cape Winelands Estate Once Owned by Tokyo Sexwale Up for Auction at R180m

A slice of Cape wine historywith a political pedigreeis going under the hammer.

Bloemendal Wine Estate, a 300-year-old farm in the Cape Winelands, will be sold at auction on 25 March, with brokers seeking bids of at least R180 million.

The Property

The 238-hectare (588-acre) holding includes:

• Restaurants

• A winery

• A wine-tasting room

• A manor house

• Stables

• Conference facilities

The History

Bloemendal dates back more than three centuries, originally supplying fresh produce to Dutch East India Company ships sailing around the Cape of Good Hope.

Today, it’s known for award-winning wines made from varietals including chenin blanc, chardonnay, pinotage, and cabernet sauvignon.

The Political Link

Over the years, its owners have included a company founded by Tokyo Sexwalea liberation-struggle icon who was jailed for opposing White-minority rule on Robben Island, where Nelson Mandela was incarcerated.

Sexwale went on to become the first democratically elected Premier of Gauteng in 1994. He left politics four years later and amassed a fortune in business, including through mining investments.

It is unclear who currently owns the farm.

The Auction

The auction follows an attempt to sell the estate last year that collapsed.

Brokers now require bidders to submit offers with:

• Proof of funds of at least R200 million

• Verified identity documents

• Tax-registration documents

A non-refundable deposit amounting to 5% of the purchase price is payable on acceptance of an offer, with the balance due within 14 days.

The Context

In the late 1990s, Sexwalealong with current President Cyril Ramaphosawas seen as a potential, if long-shot, candidate to succeed Nelson Mandela. In the end, Thabo Mbeki became the second democratic-era leader.

The Bottom Line

Three hundred years of history. Award-winning wines. A Robben Island veteran’s legacy. And a price tag of R180 million.

Bloemendal is more than a farm. It’s a piece of South Africa’s storyand on 25 March, that story will have a new owner.

{Source: BusinessTech}

Follow Joburg ETC on Facebook, Twitter , TikTok and Instagram

For more News in Johannesburg, visit joburgetc.com