Tongaat Hulett is an agriculture and agri-processing business, focusing on the complementary feedstocks of sugarcane and maize.

The company had its origins on the North coast of KwaZulu-Natal, specifically the town of Tongaat (now oThongathi).

Cape Sweeteners, based in Durban, is a subsidiary of Tongaat Hulett Sugar, producing artificial sweeteners including; aspartame, neotame, acesulfame-K, fructose, sodium saccharin, sodium cyclamate, polydextrose, maltitol and lactitol.

At the end of 2018, the CEO, Peter Staude took early retirement[5] and the chief financial officer, Murray Munro, went on sick-leave.

[16] In February 2022, seven people connected with the scandal namely, Peter Staude, Murray Hector Munro, Michael Edward Deighton, Rory Edward Wilkinson, Kamasagrie Singh, Samantha Shukla and Gavin Dykes Kruger appeared in the Durban Specialised Commercial Crimes Court and were granted bail.