Our People

At Silkbush we believe in the Power of Our People; without our wonderful team, we would not have been where we are today!

Silkbush is an extended family of individuals all dedicated to Silkbush Mountain Vineyards’ success. Silkbush’s Managing Director and Vineyard Manager, Anton and his wife Franci, live on the Silkbush property with their three sons. Franci’s parents, Francois and Isabel Marais, live on the large farm next door where Franci grew up, and where all the generations of Marais have lived since the early 1820’s.

On the farm, we communicate mostly in Afrikaans, some Soto, and some Xhosa, the dialect of the principal Black tribe of the Eastern and Western Capes. Almost everyone in our permanent farming crew (presently 21 people) live on Silkbush farm. We have a team of very motivated people who are paid above average for the area. Our workers are salaried and receive annual bonuses.

Anton Roos
Managing Director

Educated at the University of Stellenbosch, in Viticulture and Enology, consulted for VinPro, the national viticultural service, and former Vineyard Manager/ Assistant Winemaker at a prior winery, Anton and his family have lived on Silkbush since 2001 and have planted almost every hectare. Anton also served for 10 years on the Board of Directors of a large, former cooperative winery in Breerivier, now a stock company owned by shareholder/growers.

Chris du Toit
Winemaker

Chris is a graduate of Elsenburg Agriculture College, after some five years of practical experience at a large South African winery after High School. Chris has been the lead winemaker at Bergsig for over 10 years, and is highly familiar with and impressed by the Silkbush grapes. While the majority of Silkbush fruit is sold to independent wineries, Chris and Anton are prepared to increase Silkbush’s own wine production as the brand’s sales increase.

Franci Roos
Administration Manager

From the inception of Silkbush, Franci Marais Roos has been Anton's working partner in the development of a large vineyard as well as the mother of their three sons. She had the benefit of growing up on the adjacent Marais vineyard and fruit farm with talented parents who were wonderful life models. Franci learned about running a large vineyard from her childhood. Making up staff payrolls, running the farm store for resident employees, and then managing the lodging at the Kingsbury Cottage, Franci has far exceeded the role of "farmer's wife."

Johann Roos
National Sales and Marketing Manager

The eldest of Anton and Franci’s three sons, Johann obtained his BSc Microbiology and Physiology degree from the North West University of Potchefstroom. After his studies he worked as a Laboratory Technician for an Agricultural manufacturing company where he gained valuable experience in quality control, product development and organisational skills. He joined Silkbush in May 2023 to carry the Silkbush brand upward and onward.

Francois Roos
Viticulturist

Francois followed in his father’s footsteps and obtained his BSc Agric degree from the University of Stellenbosch with Soil Science and Horticulture as majors. He joined Silkbush in August 2021 and currently manages all production related activities on the farm and is also heading our project diversifying to apples, which kicked off in 2023.