ROOIBOS RESTITUTION JOURNEY

We, the Khoikhoi, come from a strong oral tradition, thereby passing on our wealth of knowledge about the plants and wildlife of Southern Africa from one generation to the next. This includes our knowledge of the uses of Rooibos (Aspalathus linearis), an indigenous South African plant which is the foundation of today’s multi-million rand Rooibos industry. The “Rooibos” name is also registered as a Geographical Indicator with The World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO).

WHO WE ARE?

The KHOI-KHOI PEOPLES ROOIBOS BIODIVERSITY TRUST is a community trust established to manage and distribute benefits derived from a Rooibos ACCESS and BENEFIT SHARING (ABS) agreement in South Africa. This agreement, the first of its kind in the world, recognises the KHOI peoples as TRADITIONAL KNOWLEDGE holders of ROOIBOS and ensures that they receive a share of the benefits generated from the Rooibos industry.

WHAT WE DO?

  • RECOGNITION OF TRADITIONAL KNOWLEDGE

    The ABS agreement acknowledges that the Khoi peoples have long-standing traditional knowledge of Rooibos, a plant indigenous to South Africa's Cape region.

  • ACCESS TO BENEFIT SHARING

    The agreement mandates that a portion of the revenue from the Rooibos industry is allocated to the Khoi peoples through the Khoi-Khoi Peoples' Rooibos Biodiversity Trust and the Andries Steenkamp Benefit-Sharing Trust.

  • PURPOSE OF THE TRUST

    The Khoi-Khoi Peoples' Rooibos Biodiversity Trust was created to manage and distribute the funds received from the Rooibos industry, with the aim of supporting and benefiting the Khoi communities.

  • DISTRIBUTION OF FUNDS

    The Trust is responsible for developing a comprehensive plan to distribute the funds in a way that ensures equity and fairness among the beneficiaries.

  • BIOCULTURAL COMMUNITY PROTOCOL

    The Khoikhoi Peoples' Rooibos Biocultural Community Protocol (BCP) is a supplementary document to the ABS agreement. It further outlines the historical context, customary laws, and rights of the Khoi peoples concerning Rooibos and its traditional uses.

  • OBJECTIVES OF THE BCP

    The BCP aims to articulate the Khoikhoi communities, their historical presence, and how they can apply for benefits from the ABS agreement. It also sets out the terms of the Community Trust.

THE IMPACT

The Rooibos ABS agreement and the establishment of the trust are significant steps in addressing historical injustices and promoting the rights of indigenous communities in South Africa. The agreement serves as a model for other industries seeking to implement similar benefit-sharing agreements.

MEET OUR TEAM

We are passionately committed to protecting our heritage of our generation and most importantly the generations to come

Chairman

Johannes Maarman

Deputy Chairman

Stanley Petersen

Secretary

Chantal Revell

Treasurer

Frans Kraalshoek

Administrator

Charlie Josephs