Meet Joseph: From Dishwasher to Sommelier and Wine Maker
Joseph Dhafana, a proud ‘Zimbo’ as he refers to himself, moved to South Africa in 2009 with his wife Amelia… writes Swartland Style. Despite many challenges including refugee camps and living in a Methodist Church in Johannesburg whilst awaiting asylum, they finally boarded a train from Johannesburg to Cape Town, and found themselves in Riebeek […]
Joseph Dhafana, a proud ‘Zimbo’ as he refers to himself, moved to South Africa in 2009 with his wife Amelia… writes Swartland Style. Despite many challenges including refugee camps and living in a Methodist Church in Johannesburg whilst awaiting asylum, they finally boarded a train from Johannesburg to Cape Town, and found themselves in Riebeek Kasteel where Joseph started working as a gardener.
Joseph joined Bar Bar Black Sheep Restaurant as a dish washer and worked his way up through the kitchen, into the bar and onto the floor as a waiter.
Under the guidance and mentorship of people who saw Joseph’s talent, he fell in love with the idea of wine making and in 2013 he started studying wine at the University of Stellenbosch.
In 2014 Joseph moved to Cape Town, continued his wine studies and used his savings to buy grapes. With guidance and patience, Joseph made his first 300 bottles of Mosi Wine and currently produces over 5000 bottles. Joseph has represented Team South Africa in France and is a qualified sommelier. His career as a sommelier and wine maker has grown from strength to strength with much hard work and dedication.
Joseph currently produces Tinashe Chenin Blanc which was named after his son and Flavian Syrah, named after his dad who passed on in 2004. ‘My dad really taught me that sweat is sweet. I used to wake up at 03:00am and plough the fields with our cattle using moon light’.
Joseph also produces a gin and has a sly grin on his face when we ask him ‘what’s next?’
This story is about the talent and hard work of people in the Swartland, doing it in Style!
SWARTLAND STYLE is a Facebook page focussed on everything Swartland related, from highlighting and promoting small businesses, wine farms, tourism etc to telling wonderful success stories like this one.