Sibonele Wonga Nongqotho

Wonga died tragically in a car accident in Cape Town on Wed 31 May 2017, after just returning from his trip to the UK & France - his prize from Distell, for winning the Wine Steward category in the 2016 Cape Legends & Artisan Spirits Inter Hotel Challenge.

Wonga, died tragically in a car accident in Cape Town on Wed 31 May 2017, after just returning from his trip to the UK & France - his prize from Distell, for winning the Wine Steward category in the 2016 Cape Legends & Artisan Spirits Inter Hotel Challenge.

Sibonele Wonga Nongqotho was only 22 years old when he competed as Cape Grace’s Wine Candidate in the 2016 Inter Hotel Challenge and took the top honours.

Wonga, as he is affectionately known, was exceptionally excited to participate in the Challenge and forge new relationships with upcoming sommeliers and established wine masters. “I hope to gain as much knowledge as possible during the course of this competition,” said Wonga. “There is so much to learn about pairing food and wine. For me, this challenge really symbolises the pursuit of learning. Specifically, learning about what I love!”

Wonga hails from Ncembu in Tsolo, a small village in the Eastern Cape. When he was not hard at work at Cape Grace, you could find him hidden behind his books. He was enrolled at the International Hotel School as a part-time Food and Beverage Management student and also held a National Certificate in Bookkeeping.

Wonga’s ambition was admirable. He joined the Cape Grace family in 2014 as an In-Room Dining Waiter and steadily progressed to a Breakfast Waiter, before being promoted to his last position as Dinner Waiter. He was excited to continue progressing in the hospitality industry. He loved how the arena exposed one to new cultures, new faces and new languages. It’s a field that he intended to impact in a big way!

Wonga was also a firm believer in “digital detoxing”. He was passionate about nature conservation and enjoyed hiking and camping. The Cedarberg Mountains were one of his favourite adventure trails. With no reception and no electronic devices, he believed it’s the best spot to indulge in some much needed “time-out”.

As an employee, Wonga embodied all of the values of the Cape Grace hotel. His level of gratitude, respect, excellence and dedication to servanthood, resonated with everyone that he interacted with. We were excited to see him represent the brand this year!