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Ten years ago, Jurie and I started conceptualizing a small
game lodge on a piece of land called "Renosterhoop" in the
Sabi Sand Game Reserve (SSW). Little did we anticipate the success of
Djuma Game Reserve with three lodges (42 beds), 65 permanent staff members
and enough stories to tell for a lifetime!
With Nelson Mandela's release from prison in 1990, we realized that
it would not be long before a democratic government would be in place
in South Africa, and land reforms would be implemented. We also anticipated
that for a white family to own such a large piece of valuable land with
only 2 permanent employees would not be appropriate in that political
climate. The options available to us were to sell or develop.
Jurie's father and godfather, Piet Moolman and Tilman Ludin, had bought
the farm, then called "Wintersrus" in 1979. "Wintersrus",
which directly translated means "Winter's Rest", was used
for hunting for biltong (dried meat) in the cool, malaria free winter
months. In that area of the Sabi Sands, the farm was surrounded by other
small private properties. In those days, the owners would pool their
properties and offer "Big 5" hunting, the revenue being used
to maintain and finance the individual's land. At that time there were
only about 3 photographic safari operations in the Sabi Sands down to
the south of what is Djuma Game Reserve today. In 1987, Piet and Tilman
bought Gowrie, and joined this land into the SSW, which meant that by
the time the elections were nearing, we were concerned about an even
larger piece of land that needed development or a buyer! The Moolman
and Ludin families were also spending more time at "Gowrie Camp"
resulting in "Renosterhoop" falling into disrepair. The dry
years at the beginning of the 90's had also taken their toll on the
garden, which was now an immaculate piece of swept sand.
By 1993 the small-scale commercial hunting was coming to an end, apart
from a few outstanding licenses and we were all getting prepared for
the first democratic elections in 1994. Buyers for the land were coming
round to look, but not many were willing to buy with a potential unstable
future on the horizon. This was sort of lucky for Jurie and I, as it
was very difficult being the people "showing-off" this wilderness
splendour, while deep in our hearts the last thing we wanted was to
sell it. By now with a sale not looking too likely, we decided to start
a lodge. Naturally, we lacked some serious experience in the hospitality
industry. We had stayed in a couple of hunting camps (out of season)
and had traveled a bit in Botswana, Zimbabwe and Mozambique, cooking
on open fires and roughing it, so to speak. Apart from that, I had waitressed
while studying Fine Arts and Jurie was an academic biologist. We did
attempt to get some in-house training from the neighbouring, more famous
game lodges to the south, but they declined to take us in when they
knew what we were planning. Our next best option was to go and stay
there for a weekend, which we did!
In the April of 1993, we drove up to the farm to assess if we would
be able to do this task. Walking around the camp, it did not seem likely.
Only 1 of the 7 toilets were working, the beds were broken, the gas
geysers did not work, the water supply erratic (at best) and the animals
would run when approached by anyone or any vehicle! Abel and Monica
Mkanzi were looking after the camp at the time, their main task being
to keep the baboons and monkeys off the thatch roofs. They were clearly
excited that there was a prospect of having visitors more often, and
were not going to let this depressed couple stand in their way. Abel
shoved a "bobjaan" (monkey wrench) into Jurie's hand and pointed
him in the direction of the first leaky loo! Monica put the kettle on
for tea, and so from very frugal beginnings, Bush Lodge was about to
be born.
Slowly but surely a rudimentary electrical system was put in place in
the form solar panels and a generator to run the borehole and the swimming
pool filter. The plumbing and geysers were fixed as best as Jurie knew
how, and slowly but surely we started planting a lawn. Carpenters came
in to replace one or two rotten beams that were holding up the whole
building. They also widened the staircase to the upper level and reinforced
the railings around the decks. The kitchen was moved into what was the
scullery, but remained open plan. This design would later prove to be
impossible to maintain with daily scavenging trips by monkeys and hyenas.
We were expecting to open the following April after the elections, so
the pace was laid back and fairly relaxed.
In August, out of the blue, Tilman phoned to ask if we could take a
group of guests in 2 weeks time. It so happened that a friend of his
whom had hunted on "Renosterhoop" years before had heard about
us starting a camp and wanted to show his clients from America this
gem in the bush. He was booked in at another lodge (the one where we
spent the "training weekend"), but so loved his safari from
a few years prior that he wanted to change the booking. Not only that,
but if we pulled it off, he wanted to bring another group two weeks
after that!
First, the camp needed a name. "Renosterhoop" means "Rhino
midden" and this referral to the great beast's toilet was not going
to cut it in potential international marketing terms! Jurie went off
to Wits University's library in Johannesburg and scoured a Tsonga dictionary
for a name. We settled on "Djuma Bush Lodge". "Djuma"
meaning spoor/roar of the lion, and "Bush Lodge" because if
the guests saw no game, they were sure to see bushes!
Next, we borrowed R20 000, to us an enormous amount in those days. After
all we needed cutlery, crockery, beds, mattresses, some furniture, fiberglass
for the pool, and of course food and drinks for the guests. We also
borrowed a game drive vehicle. A friend of ours joined us to cater for
the guests. I don't remember too many details from that weekend, but
do remember that by the last drive the guests had not seen lions, and
offered Abel (our newly appointed tracker) R10 for every lion they would
see on that drive. Naturally Abel pulled 11 out the bag, and the safari
ended successfully. Two weeks later, the guests were back!
Pippa Moolman
This story will be continued next month.
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