OnTap Magazine

ontapmag.co.za | Summer 2025 | 35 things. Apiwe tells me she checked on him throughout his time in and out of hospital, “up until his last breath.” In a somber tone she adds, “When he passed, it was quite difficult, and quite painful, because he had all these plans.” He was really looking to push an “empowerment” angle and share his story, his experience, to inspire the next generation of black entrepreneurs and brewers. After speaking at one of her Beverage Conferences the year before, he told her enthusiastically that he’d love to sponsor such events, through Eyethu, in order to “transform the industry.” Even Phakama tells me that every time he visited his brother in the hospital, “I found him working, taking calls and giving instructions on the new plant he was building.” The man didn’t stop moving, planning, building—until the end. LEAVING BEHIND A LEGACY It was clear, in speaking with Tsikwe, what Ndumiso’s impact on him had been. “For me, as a black kid from Soweto, he inspired other black brewers; he [made it clear] that this is very possible….When I started off, I was just brewing at home for my friends and someone suggested I start this as a business. And I'm like, ‘Wait, how do I even start? Is that even possible?’ And [Nduimso] answered that question for me.” When I pressed him on this, pointing out that Soweto Gold ultimately decided to lean on the help of a commercial outlet, and he himself has had to start and stop Stimela Brewing, he added: “Look, we need to have a bit more political will, from government, to really empower small black- owned businesses that are within this kind of space…And then two, because with that comes funding, right?” He goes on to point out that acquiring the necessary investments to start a craft beer business is hard formost people, andwhatmoney does come in the door, often goes to making the product, with little left over for things like marketing and reliable distribution. Relatedly, Tsikwe argues that consistency and price point are two of craft beer’s biggest challenges: why would a consumer pay a higher price for aproduct they can’t be sure will be the same every time? From his perspective, when he heard about Soweto Gold’s sale to Heineken, he thought, “Oh, cool. Now they can produce a beer that will not be off, [and] that will be consistent in bars and restaurants, because that's the number one problem we've always had in craft beer.” For Apiwe, Ndumiso will be remembered as “Mister Soweto Gold, as the guy who broke barriers, as the guy who built something that one of the big internationals thought worth buying into, that his vision really had the potential to become a global brand. He is representative of ‘black excellence,’ and what the [possibility] is within previously [considered] disadvantageous communities.” Her feelings about the sale to Heineken are mixed: she confesses that she initially was against it, and toldNdumiso as much, but at the time, he felt he had to, for the longevity of the business and brand. Looking back now, she thinks it makes sense to have a partner like Heineken to push the brand and allow it to reach its full potential. But then she pivots: “It’s just unfortunate that that hasn’t really happened…which is really quite sad.” I asked Josef what he thought Ndumiso, his former business partner’s, legacy was. His answer is worth quoting in full: “Ndumiso broke barriers that many thought were unbreakable…His legacy is showing that townships could be sources of premium products, not just markets for commercial goods. He proved that the craft beer and the brand could thrive beyond Soweto, that quality and authenticity could compete with established brands, and that entrepreneurship could drive meaningful economictransformation.Ndumisoopened the door for other black entrepreneurs in brewing and showed an entire generation that they could claim space in industries that had excluded them. He didn't just brew beer; he brewed possibility. ” To Phakama, his younger brother’s legacy “lies not in his business acumen or brewing craft, but in his fearlessness, work ethic, brilliance in solving problems, the warrior-like attitude towards life and faith that anything is possible despite one’s background or skin colour. But above all, he was a good brother. In his busy schedule, he always made time to share a beer or a weekend breakfast that would sometimes go until lunch from discussions.” And of course, Phakama reminds us, his legacy lives on in his young family: his wife, and their two children, a boy and a girl. Personally, I hope this isn’t the end of the Soweto Gold story. I think Heineken has an opportunity here to honour a pioneer. That being said, Ndumiso’s hard work has already had a significant impact, the ripples of which will likely only grow. And the ‘disruption’ he fought for, and so enjoyed, is a gauntlet up for grabs. Apiwe and Ndumiso in 2006 at the SAB Training Institute Ndumiso sharing his story at a Beverage Conference in 2024 The iconic Orlando Power Station towers