Edition #2 1st Quarter 2025
SAHTA VISION AND MISSION
The South African Honeybush Tea Association is more than just an organisation – we are your dedicated partner in growing and advancing the honeybush industry. Our association consists of 81 members, including producers, processors, wild harvesters, NGOs, and academia, all working together towards a common goal. Our mission is to support you, the farmers and processors, by driving sustainability, empowering all stakeholders, and preserving the
natural environment. We are also committed to protecting the rich Khoi and San heritage that is at the heart of our unique honeybush tea tradition, ensuring a thriving future for all.
This newsletter provides a quarterly update on the activities the Board has undertaken on behalf of our members.
POLICY AND REGULATIONS
BIA and AbioSA planning event
Blaauwberg, 20-21st February, 2025
In support of the implementation of ABS frameworks in southern Africa, Bioinovation Africa (BIA) and ABioSA (ABS Compliant Biotrade in Southern) Africa) hosted a planning event which brought together government and industry bodies of sectors who, participate in biotrade.
The aim of the workshop was to look back on what was achieved over the last funding cycle, and to then plan for the third and final stage of funding that is going to kick off (hopefully) next year. The current 2025 year is a Quo Vadis period, which means looking back and learning from successes and challenges. Because SAHTA was a recipient of a grant, it had experience to share about what worked as well as what challenges were being missed. The meeting was attended by SAHTA board members Lize van der Merwe, Yolande le Roux and Matt Sephton, with Raoul du Toit representing his own company.
To understand more about what these organisations do – visit this website: https://www.abs-biotrade.info/
AGM 2025
The SAHTA AGM was held at the Outeniqua Research Farm on 14 May 2025
POLICY AND REGULATIONS
ABS
Negotiations between SAHTA, the National KhoiSan Council and the South African San Council with the DFFE as the co-ordinator and legislative authority, began in an introductory session at the Honeybush Community of Practice in Port Elizabeth in December 2019. At the latest meeting (November 2023), at the request of the Councils, and following an approach followed in other similar negotiations, SAHTA processors agreed to a factual findings procedure (FFP). An independent third party, is currently preparing the FFP report on the state of the industry, (via SAHTA processor participation) which is intended to be a reliable and comprehensive report on the current size of the industry. Information captured includes: wet tons of harvested material, dry weight of processed honeybush, average price paid for wet material, average selling price for the dry product, and employment records. The information will be reported for cultivated and wild-harvested honeybush. It is intended that the report will be available to the Councils, before the next meeting between SAHTA and the Councils on 27 May, 2025.
The draft (revised) NEMBA Bill and ABS (The SAHTA Board has been in discussions with members of the National KhoiSan Council and the South African San Council in an ongoing effort to come to an agreement, around sharing honeybush industry profits with the recognised Traditional Knowledge Holders. Two meetings were held to date. Engagements are on-going and members will be informed once there is anything substantial to report. A letter confirming these negotiations is available from SAHTA Secretariat, should this be required by any of the members.)
The draft NEMBA Bill was published for public comment on 24 May 2024.
Chapter 7 which deals with Access and Benefit Sharing was identified as problematic and basically implementable by SAHTA members and board directors. As drafted, aspects of the bill would have been damaging to trade in indigenous species such as honeybush (i.e., biotrade). SAHTA submitted a comprehensive set of comments for consideration in the revised version (not yet published).
To assist industries involved in biotrade with responding constructively to the draft Bill, a peer-learning workshop was arranged by GIZ, facilitated by Kruger, Swart and Associates, in Stellenbosch on 1-2 August 2024. Other biotrade industries (e.g., Sceletium and Buchu) who were also impacted by the draft NEMBA Bill participated in the event. Following lively discussions around the practical implications of Chapter 7, a task team (led by Ulrich Feiter, chairperson of the SA Botanical Products Association) was identified to draft an alternative to the problematic chapter. A clear need for a public-private sector dialogue to arrive at a realistic and practical compromise was identified. GIZ supported a follow-up public-private dialogue, held on 21-22 November, 2024 in Johannesburg. A major outcome of this meeting (in side discussions) was an idea to initiate more focused meetings between TK holders and the private sector who both want the implementation of legislation that will not harm the industries. The aim of this initiative would be to create a space where the focus is on the wider biotrade sector and where participating parties have the opportunity to:
– Listen to, learn from and respect each other
– Create trust in each other as a sound base for discussions
– Explore common interests in the biodiversity economy and look for synergies
– Consider shared challenges and opportunities
– Find ways to unblock bottlenecks, reduce transaction times and associated costs and thus give greater impetus to the biodiversity economy.
GIZ responded positively to a request to support this initiative where industries and TK holders can find common ground, with a commitment to support a first meeting, scheduled for 28-30 May 2025 in the Paarl/Stellenbosch area.
We are some way off from having an implementable Chapter 7 in the draft NEMBA Bill, but I think we are heading in the right direction with these innovative approaches.
Trade with China
It is not currently possible to legally trade Honeybush with China as Honeybush is not registered with China’s Health Bureau on its Safe Foods List. Registration is prohibitively costly: (≈R2.5 million), involving lab tests to prove product safety and takes between 12 and 24 months to complete. The lab tests are split into initial feasibility tests (~cost of R55 000) and ‘the rest’ in the second phase of testing.
The WC Department of Agriculture made a donation to SAHTA of R55 000 to initiate the process, which prompted an online meeting (8th February, 2025) of multiple stakeholders including SARS, the DTIC, DALRRD, DIRCO, the embassy of China, SAHTA and Rooibos Ltd. Thereafter, Mr. Kieran van Zyl (Rooibos Ltd) reached out to SAHTA to offer help with the process, as it is also in the Rooibos industry’s interest to be able to export Honeybush to China. Johan Kritzinger and Lize van der Merwe met with Mr. van Zyl several times, and maintained communication channels via email. Good relationships were maintained throughout the process.
While agents in China initially indicated that the Cyclopia products can be tested and registered as a whole, it emerged in March 2025 that each species would have to be tested and registered individually. At R2.5 million per registration, (multiplied by the number of species to be tested and registered) and given that C. subternata and C. longifolia have the greatest production potential under cultivation, SAHTA directors proposed these species as potential candidates for registration. Since then we have been advised that the application is probably not feasible at this point in time for a number of reasons. SAHTA may revisit this option in future.
Chinese transliteration
(converting text from one writing system (script) to another)
We did make progress with a Chinese translation of the word HONEYBUSH…
With financial support from the Swiss-South African Intellectual Property Project (SSAIP), Spoor & Fisher (attorneys specializing in patents and intellectual property) were engaged to register the transliteration of the word Honeybush (翰尼波什) as a trademark in China. A transliteration means that pronounciation of each of the symbols in Mandarin will produce a word that sounds like the word ‘Honeybush’ (phonetically: Han-Ni-Bo-Shi). SAHTA was advised that these Chinese characters are easy to pronounce, stylish as a brand name and may evoke a feeling that product is exquisite… 笑脸 (smiley face in Chinese)
This trademark is being registered in Class 30 (incl. teas, coffees and spices), Class 32 (incl. alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages, as well as juices) and Class 35 (i.e., business-related matters that include advertising). This trademark registration will prevent anyone from selling or advertising beverages under the name honeybush, if the product is not derived from plants of the Cyclopia genus. All paperwork was filed on 13th February 2025, with acknowledgment of receipt, by the Chinese authorities. Trademark registrations take a long time… SAHTA will be communicate progress, as and when there is something to report.
Geographic Indicator status for honeybush
Honeybush – Geographic Indicator status workshop, George, November, 2024
A small group of SAHTA board members plus other interested parties attended a Geographic Indicator facilitated by Kruger Swart and Associates and funded by the Swiss-South African Intellectual Property Project (the SSAIP aims to contribute to South Africa’s socio-economic development through promotion of the use and protection of intellectual property).
Participants discussed the use of the current GI as protected under trade agreements with the European Union and identified actions and possibilities for registration of honeybush on the South African and EU GI registers. As a result of these discussions – we compiled the GI view document (a brief overview of honeybush) and put forward a proposal to the SSAIP for funding to cover the full GI product specification document and the registration process. The process will take around two years to complete as there are many technical and legal elements in the documentation, which require input and approval from various government agencies in SA and the EU.
The GI View product specification plus a set of photographs for the website, has been sent to DALRRD. It is their responsibility to liaise with the European Commission (Directorate-General for Agriculture and Rural Development) to make the information available (In an effort to improve the sales and value of honeybush products on the international market, and protect the product name from appropriation, the name honeybush was trademarked in 2014. Working with this, the Swiss-South African Intellectual Property Project (SSAIP) appointed Kruger Swart and Associates to support SAHTA in developing a trade agreement with the EU which would recognise honeybush as product of unique geographic origin (like, Champagne from the Champagne region in France, or Karoo Lamb from the Karoo). Board members have attended several online workshops and an in-person workshop to develop an understanding of the process. Board members agreed that SAHTA should be the GI applicant and custodian of the GI and related processes. They will be supported in this application by the National Department of Agriculture and Rural Development. The process is lengthy and requires legal input to develop the final documents. The process will be taken further at a 2nd workshop in November 2024.).
Workshops
Harvester workshops and information sessions about the biodiversity management plan (BMP)
A special meeting is due to be held with the Minister with regard to the National Biodiversity Economy (NBES), which a SAHTA board member will attend. The NBES focussed mainly on extending conservation lands and developing wildlife resources without due consideration of the practicalities of impacts of such a policy on communities and their livelihoods. SAHTA drew up a response to the policy and pointed out how use of wild resources such as honeybush could be better accommodated in planning for sustainable use of wild resources. Over the following five weeks, we continued with the same group, covering First Aid, Food Safety, Health & Safety and Chainsaw Training.
BMP Workshop 2 (convened by Matt Sephton, 7 March 2025)
A session was held in the lower Langkloof with 8 harvesters. The workshop consisted of a lecture and discussion session plus a field outing to a site of honeybush harvesting where knowledge was shared around best practices for wild harvesting.
POLICY AND REGULATIONS
GEF6 project: Honeybush small grants project
For more information on the GEF – visit their website: A special meeting is due to be held with the Minister with regard to the National Biodiversity Economy (NBES), which a SAHTA board member will attend. The NBES focussed mainly on extending conservation lands and developing wildlife resources without due consideration of the practicalities of impacts of such a policy on communities and their livelihoods. SAHTA drew up a response to the policy and pointed out how use of wild resources such as honeybush could be better accommodated in planning for sustainable use of wild resources.
The Global Environment Facility (GEF), is a financial institution which provides funds to developing countries to address environmental problems. In South Africa, through the DFFE, funds have been made available to improve value chains for products derived from genetic resources that contribute to the equitable sharing of benefits and the conservation of biodiversity. Honeybush falls into this category. Therefore – a call was put out to honeybush industry stakeholders in 2023, under the title of The Honeybush Small Grants project – for project proposals to further develop cultivation, marketing, product development etc. Communication about progress of the process was very poor and all hopeful participants (including SAHTA) rarely received updates. Due to a lack of social impact considerations in the original project (by the funder, i.e., the UNDP) the project was stalled while the original grant proposal and related issues were revised.
In January 2025, in the interests of public disclosure, comments were invited from the public on the UNDP/GEF6 Bioprospecting Value Chains Project. (Available on the DFFE website: A special meeting is due to be held with the Minister with regard to, the National Biodiversity Economy (NBES), which a SAHTA board member will attend. The NBES focussed mainly on extending conservation lands and developing wildlife resources without due consideration of the practicalities of impacts of such a policy on communities and their livelihoods. SAHTA drew up a response to the policy and pointed out how use of wild resources such as honeybush could be better accommodated in planning for sustainable use of wild resources. ). The Honeybush Small Grant project falls under this broader project. To address concerns raised that potential social and environmental impacts of the broader project had not been adequately dealt with, the UNDP contracted a consultant to carry out a thorough Social and Environmental Screening (SES). As part of their deliverables, the consultants developed SES documentation covering the entire project scope, including the Honeybush Small Grant project. The public disclosure process is an essential platform for affected and interested stakeholders to meaningfully participate in shaping how the project impacts them from social and environmental standpoints.
During the Bioprospecting Forum meeting held on 10 March 2025, DFFE announced that a second call will be advertised to submit new Honeybush Small Grant proposals.
Marketing
Opportunity for SAHTA Members
SAHTA members are encouraged to take advantage of the social media opportunities available. This is included as part of your annual membership and is a great way to promote your company and Honeybush products.
If you’d like to be featured in the coming year, please send photos and a short description of your business and offerings to marketing@sahta.co.za.
SAHTA Marketing would like to give all members the opportunity to shine.
MARKETING SERVICE UPDATE
We’re excited to announce that we’ve partnered with Socal Geeks, a marketing service provider, on a 3-month trial basis.
They will be supporting us with: Social Media Management and Website Maintenance
This collaboration aims to boost our digital presence and ensure consistent, professional engagement across all platforms.
SUMMARY OF GOOGLE ANALYTICS, INSTAGRAM, AND FACEBOOK DATA:
(Oct 1 – March 31, 2025)
Google Analytics (sahta.co.za)
Visits: 1.8K total visits
New Users: 70.9% increase
Top traffic Sources: Direct (17.5%), Organic Search (22%), Paid Sosial (47.3%)
Top pages: About Honeybush | South African Honeybush Tea Association (788 views), South African Honeybush Tea Association | Where natural wellness meets conscious consumption (551 views),
Blog | South African Honeybush Tea Association (318)
Instagram Analytics:
●Top Followers: 646 (mostly women, 74.2%)
●Top Age:45-54 years
●Top Location: Cape Town (31.3%), South Africa (95.2%)
●Trend: Follows increased by 2.3K% (357 new follows). Reach fell by 15.3% (30.7K). Profile Visits increased by 61.5K visits
Facebook Audience and Engagement:
Total Followers: 8,539 (male majority, 51.7%)
Total Age Groupe: 25-34 years
Top Location: Cape Town (11.1%), South Africa (99%)
Trend: Follows dropped by 93.2% (298 new follows).
Reach increased by 10.5% (294.7K). Profile Visits 528.1K visits)
Overall Insights
●Google Analytics: Strong traffic from paid social and organic search. “About Honeybush” is the top-performing page.
●Instagram: Follows up sharply, but reach dipped. Profile visits increased significantly.
●Facebook: Large audience, strong reach and profile visits, but follow growth slowed.