A toast to talent– Rising star wins 2025 ROTOCON Wine Label Design Competition
- Gerrit Bester
- 4 days ago
- 4 min read
by Gerrit Bester
Mufaro Ncube, a 21-year-old third-year Integrated Communication Design (ICD) student from the Department of Visual Communication (VISCOM) at the Tshwane University of Technology's Faculty of Arts and Design, has emerged as the overall winner of the esteemed ROTOCON Wine Label Design Competition for 2025. The announcement, made at the Protea Hotel Fire & Ice in Pretoria on 15 April, marked not just a personal triumph for Ncube but also a proud moment for the University and the wider design community. However, the accolades don’t stop there.
The judging panel was so impressed with this year’s exceptional entries that they decided to honour a runner-up and a second runner-up: Katlego Madikane (22) and Lesedi Sephadi (20), Advanced Diploma and third-year students, respectively.
This stellar trio was among a vibrant group of 60 ICD students who embraced this year’s design theme, Cultivate a Life Worth Tasting, tasked with developing innovative and cutting-edge wine label designs for the competition.
Participants needed to create professional label designs that not only reflected a strong design process and ideation but also considered contemporary printing techniques and finishing touches, including foils, varnishes, die-cuts and embossing.
Comprehensive research and concept development were prerequisites, culminating in high-quality, professionally presented label designs, both as print production flats and 3D visualisations.
Ncube's design is called The Point. The design conveys luxury and exclusivity. It is influenced by the topographical map of Cape Town, which is highlighted by the die-cut on the design. Cape Point is a focal point and conversation starter, which inspired the name of the wine. The use of high-quality embossing and classic serif fonts all lead to the point of the importance of ROTOCON, wine and wine labelling. A hidden gem in the design is the ROTOCON name, which was created topographically on the map of Cape Town.
Madikane's design is called Two Distal. Inspired by biomimicry (the study of natural living things for design solutions), the design combines technology (ROTOCON and advanced printing machines) with the grape leaf (nature and wine). On one side, the design presents an iconic grape leaf with a network of leaf veins. On the other, the network of technology. The triangular die-cut on the design emphasises the relationship between nature and technology, giving life and information.Sephadi's design is called Ilanga. The label is inspired by Adam's Calendar, an ancient stone structure in Mpumalanga that tracks the movement of the sun. The design features three suns representing sunrise, midday and sunset, symbolising time, balance and the cycle of nature. The centre die-cut of the design features creative representations of the colour of the sun when applied to different types of wine. The unique colour of each bottle adds dynamism to the symbolism of the sun, highlighted by the rays in the design.
This year, the winner won R30 000 in prize money, further complemented by invaluable PR and marketing exposure from the competition. He, together with the runner-up and second runner-up, will also be honoured at the WineLand Media’s 30 Under 30 Awards on 30 May, with ROTOCON sponsoring the event for the sixth consecutive year.
"This was completely unexpected and a personal achievement for a design in which I invested my heart and soul,” Ncube said.
The runner-up receives R15 000 from ROTOCON and the second runner-up R10 000 sponsored by Dawrian Salies, General Manager of SA Litho Label Printers, who joined as a partner of the competition this year.
Speaking at the event, Michael Aengenvoort, CEO of ROTOCON, had several encouraging affirmations for the students: On growth and challenges: "Remember, the finest wines come from vines that endure storms, heat and cold. Challenges aren’t obstacles; they’re the tannins of your personal story. They add depth and character."
On timing: "When life hands you bubbles, embrace them – and maybe even turn them into something spectacular, so people will enjoy it for centuries to come."
On collaboration: "Collaboration is not a sign of weakness –it’s a superpower. Don’t see others in your industry as rivals. See them as barrels – people who can add richness to your journey and help you create something extraordinary."
On sharing and impact: "Wine isn’t just made to sit in a bottle; it’s meant to be shared. The ripples of your actions can transform an entire industry."On personal branding: "Ask yourself, what do you want your label to say? Make sure it reflects your authenticity, integrity and passion – not just in your work, but in how you live your life."Salies expressed his amazement at this year’s designs. “I see thousands of label designs and work closely with many designers. With some guidance and support, these designs can hold their own against any others,” he remarked.
When asked about the value of such competitions for emerging designers, Dr Herman Botes, Head of the Department of Visual Communication, said, “Our students are afforded a rare opportunity to work directly with international specialists, gaining invaluable hands-on industry experience that enhances their future competitiveness in an increasingly cut-throat industry. These mutually beneficial relationships are only possible through long-term commitments from both partners.”
This marks the third year that ROTOCON has collaborated with TUT to host the competition.
A big hats off to Banie Stafford of B Creative, ROTOCON’s marketing agency and a proud alum of the Department, for ensuring that the competition remains a highlight on the TUT calendar and, together with VISCOM staff, for managing the event like a well-oiled machine.
ROTOCON, headquartered in Hamburg and Cape Town, with branches in Johannesburg, Durban and Asia specialises in delivering customised turnkey solutions to the label printing and packaging industry.
