With nearly twelve years of experience at the Eastern Cape Development Corporation (ECDC), Linda Lebengu has built her career around one clear mission: unlocking international opportunities for the province’s natural products and services.
As Trade Promotion Specialist, Lebengu plays a pivotal role in expanding the global footprint of the Eastern Cape’s natural ingredients sector. She is currently spearheading efforts to increase exports by 25% over the next three years, thereby growing trade value from R4.2-million to R5.25m.
Central to this vision is discovering new products for the export value chain, while strengthening existing natural resources on the global stage.
Her work focuses on extensive international market research, particularly in Asia (Japan, China, South Korea, India), the United Kingdom, Europe, and Canada. North America also remains in sight, although current trade policies have introduced added challenges. Through these efforts, Lebengu and her colleagues aim to ensure that local producers are prepared to meet global standards and take advantage of emerging opportunities.
A cornerstone of her current strategy is the support and training of more than 100 Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) across the export value chain.
“The strategy is designed to boost the export of natural ingredients from the Eastern Cape by identifying international opportunities, positioning local producers as global suppliers, and helping them overcome market access barriers,” she explains.
The Eastern Cape is rich in natural ingredients such as aloe ferox, honeybush, rosemary, hemp, rose geranium, Artemisia afra (African wormwood), African sage, and honey. While these are widely recognised for their potential, Lebengu emphasises that much work remains to be done to fully develop their export capabilities.
This is where her collaboration with the Swiss Import Promotion Programme (SIPPO) becomes critical. Together, they have launched the Eastern Cape Natural Ingredients Export Promotion Strategy, a programme designed to increase export readiness, identify demand, and ultimately elevate the sector’s international standing.
The groundwork has required detailed surveys into why some products remain under the export radar.
This has meant working closely with the Department of Trade, Industry and Competition (the DTIC), various South African export councils, the Eastern Cape Department of Economic Development, Environmental Affairs and Tourism, and the Eastern Cape Department of Agriculture. These partnerships ensure that the needs of producers remain central.
Establishing demand is essential, but ensuring producers are truly export-ready is paramount
“Establishing demand is essential,” Lebengu notes, “but ensuring producers are truly export-ready is paramount.”
The results are promising. Research has confirmed what local knowledge has long suggested — that the province has an abundance of high-value botanical resources.
Many are already harvested sustainably from the wild and are steadily transitioning into the formal economy. With the right marketing and export frameworks, they are poised to gain traction in international industries ranging from cosmetics and skincare to pharmaceuticals, food and beverages, and traditional medicine.
Lebengu is quick to highlight global trends as well. Rising demand for natural and alternative health remedies, especially in healthcare and beauty sectors, has created a timely opening for the Eastern Cape’s producers. The province’s unique biodiversity provides a foundation not only for export sales but also for research, product development, and conservation.
A recent breakthrough — the successful export of South Africa’s red meat to Saudi Arabia — has already demonstrated that Eastern Cape producers can compete in new markets and open doors for other products.
Lebengu’s professional journey is rooted firmly in the province she serves. Born in Stutterheim and educated in Qonce (formerly King William’s Town), she later studied at the University of South Africa and Nelson Mandela Bay University.
“My early ambition was to become a model,” she recalls. “But I abandoned that dream quite soon. Now I am enjoying the challenges that face me as the ECDC Trade Promotion Specialist.”
Daily Dispatch
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