Who said accountants were dull?

Just look at Siyabonga Mvula, for example. Until recently he was working as a civil servant for Gauteng Treasury. Today he has his own wine label. He decided to follow his passion after tasting an unforgettable bottle of Shiraz and since then he has thrown himself into his new-found business with the same dedication that he used to pursue his accounting studies.

Siyabonga had to endure several rejections before he could see his name adorn a bottle of Imvula Wines. With the diligence of an accountant, he did thorough research and training courses before embarking on this new business.

Siyabonga, who hails from the small town of Bergville in Kwazulu-Natal, tells us a bit more about his brand.

BlackBiz: Tell us a bit about yourself

Siyabonga: I grew up in Ogade Location in Bergville, which falls under the Okhahlamba Local Municipality. I did my primary education at Ogade Primary, for my high school education I went to Adams College till standard 8. I then completed my matric in 2001. I then furthered my studies by doing a National Diploma in Accounting at Durban Institute of Technology (DUT currently), which I completed in 2004. On 1st August 2005 I started working for the KwaZulu-Natal Department of Education, Okhahlamba Region, as Accounting Clerk, Budget Section. I worked for the department for one year and got a promotion to work for the KwaZulu-Natal Department of Social Development, Midlands Region, as Senior Accounting Clerk, still with Budget Section. In 2009 I got a promotion to work for Gauteng Treasury at the Office of the Chief Financial Officer, Management Accounting. I got promoted to Assistant Director, I then resigned on 31st August 2016 to start my business. After I have resigned I did a wedding planning course with the SA School of Weddings and did a small-scale winemaking course with the University of Stellenbosch.

BlackBiz: Who is the target market of Imvula Wines? Is it the black middle class?

Siyabonga: I am not targeting the black market, per se. My target market is as follows: young professionals, women, restaurants, wedding venues and hotels. I am also targeting people who like to drink wine and collect it for their wine cellar.

BlackBiz: What makes your wine different?

Siyabonga: The wine estate that I am sourcing my wine from has received a number of awards, which means more quality. Imvula Wines offer different ranges, from economy to premium and reserve, which means we cater for all income groups. The wine estate we source from ensures that we meet the South African Bureau of Standards quality management requirements. We will deliver direct to customers. Our wines are top quality. We offer a reasonable price.