The clock is ticking for embattled sugar giant Tongaat Hulett and the hundreds of thousands of people who depend on it. The company has two critical deadlines looming in April: the opening of its mills, and a court case to determine whether the company is placed in provisional liquidation.
Tongaat head office stripped of expensive paintings and antiques ahead of a possible visit by liquidators. Photo supplied to GroundUp.
The winding up application, brought by business rescue practitioners (BRPs), will be argued in the Durban High Court on 16 and 17 April.
Unless the matter is resolved by consent, judgment might be reserved for weeks or even months.
In the meantime, sugarcane – which must be processed soon after harvesting – needs to be…