Cloof has not been contactable by telephone for almost a week, which sadly is something that happens on a regular basis. As it stands, no-one at Telkom is willing to commit to a date when it will be fixed.

This is our busiest time of year from a visitor point of view, but no-one can contact us by telephone. Anyone trying to contact us would think that our service is totally useless, because the phone just rings. And rings. And rings.

Needless to say, our fax number does not work, so our retail customers are unable to place orders.

We generate millions of rands every year in foreign currency inflows, we employ dozens of people, and indirectly affect the livelihoods of hundreds of people around South Africa. All of this is being jeopardized because the State-mandated telecommunications monopoly is unable to provide a basic service.

Fortunately we have a radio internet link (perhaps it’s a blessing in disguise that the Telkom ADSL service is not available to us here; we’d have been totally lost!).

As it stands, we’re contactable by email (info@cloof.co.za works for general enquiries, and you can use events@cloof.co.za for tasting room or lunch enquiries).

We apologise for this situation, and hope that you have not been inconvenienced by it.

In view of the Telkom situation, the Congress of Pinotage Sippers is promoting its “Message in a Bottle” campaign. Inter-continental communication will be despatched from soon-to-be-announced points around the South African coastline. Users are asked to keep their empty CPS bottles – and screwcaps – so that they can be used for this purpose. Simply insert the typed message into the bottle, replace the screwcap, and deliver the bottle to the designated point. Bottles with CPS labels will be sent free of any further charge (the Two Oceans labels do not qualify for this offer!).

For obvious reasons, the Congress of Pinotage Sippers is unable to guarantee a deadline for delivery, but asks users to be aware that it’s better to receive some kind of communication at an indeterminate point, than not to be in a position to receive any communication at all.