The Hollywood actress returned to Klein Goederust in Franschhoek to honour her late father in an emotional tribute.
By Bulelwa Hoala
American actress Gabrielle Union has shared an emotional tribute to her late father after burying his ashes under the vines her family planted at Klein Goederust, the first Black-owned wine farm in Franschhoek.
The Being Mary Jane star reflected on the moment while visiting the vineyard during her stay in Cape Town, where she was recently filming a project with actor Michael Ealy.
Watch the video below:
This comes after Union revealed in April 2026 that her father, Sylvester “Cully” Union Jr., had died at the age of 81 following a battle with dementia.
In a social media post at the time, she opened up about the pain of watching him fade due to the disease.
“It’s bewildering to feel relief that the pain has ended, but profound heartbreak at the finality of his time.
“I know I’m not the first or last Daddy’s girl to go through this, and I’m sending love and healing to anyone suffering the loss of a parent. I know his love is eternal and will find me in every realm,” she wrote.
A special return to Klein Goederust
Union and her husband, former NBA star Dwyane Wade, first visited Klein Goederust in November 2022 while celebrating her 50th birthday in South Africa.
During the visit, the couple and their family planted vines and spent time learning about the winery and its history.
Now, four years later, Union returned to the estate and reflected on how much the vineyard had grown since their first visit.
She also shared that burying her father’s ashes at the establishment made the experience even more meaningful.
“Coming back and seeing how much the winery has grown and transformed since then, and getting to taste the fruit of our labor, was really special.
“What they’ve built here is truly incredible… and somewhere along the way, the owners and their families became like family to us too, she wrote.
Celebrating a Black-owned South African success story
Founded by Paul Siguqa, Klein Goederust has become a celebrated destination in the Cape Winelands and a symbol of transformation within South Africa’s wine industry.
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The post Gabrielle Union buries father’s ashes at Black-owned Cape Town wine farm appeared first on KAYA 959.
