By Mike Cadman
Rhino Walking Safaris (RWS), a private concession in the Kruger National Park and one of the Seolo Africa group of lodges, is honoured to have been awarded the South African National Parks’ prestigious Kudu Award for the 2018 Business Partner of the Year.
The award recognises a combination of the best year-on-year business growth of all public and private partners and their relative financial contribution to SANParks.
Nikki Meyer, Seolo Africa Regional Operations Manager, said she and her colleagues were proud to have won the award for a second time and the achievement helped highlight the teamwork necessary to make modern conservation a success.
“We are delighted, not only because it is a significant recognition of the team effort by our staff and management but, more importantly, because this platform helps us spread the message of conservation,” Meyer said. “It is vital that all businesses grounded in conservation contribute to the financial sustainability of conservation and ensure that local communities feel the direct benefit thereof, giving them a stake in conservation and encouraging them to protect these precious areas for future generations.
“Conservation is the core of our business and SANParks, specifically the KNP, is essential to our success. Central to our decision-making is the question ‘how would this affect the Kruger Park?’. We want not only our staff but also all of the neighbouring communities to feel the same way,” Meyer said this week. “Without the KNP we would not have a business and what is in their best interest is in our best interests. We were really touched by the theme of the awards evening ‘I am SANParks’ and in accepting the award would like to join them in saying, ‘we too are SANParks’.”
RWS, comprising Rhino Post Safari Lodge and Plains Camp, is about 20 kilometres from the KNP’s headquarters in Skukuza. It is based on a 12 000-hectare private wilderness concession entirely within the Park in an area well populated with the Big Five, where guests undertake game drives from Rhino Post Safari Lodge (a 16-bed lodge), and walks from Plains Camp which has four luxury African explorer-style tents. The more adventurous can also enjoy a night out under the stars at the Sleepout Decks on the concession.
At the time of the launch of the Kudu Awards SANParks said “the key to the success of conservation management lies in the dedication of all people involved in the protection of South Africa's natural assets and heritage”. “These people often do selfless, unrecognised work to protect and educate South African citizenry about our natural assets that are endangered.”
Commenting on the 2018 Awards Reynold Thakhuli, General Manger: Media, Public Relations and Stakeholder relations, said a wide range of individuals, business and organisations contributed in many different ways to strengthening conservation. “We are proud to see people practising the ethos of conservation and caring for Mother Nature. It is not just about money and profits but about sustainable business that contributes to conservation and preservation that gives us hope for our world.”
Also presented at the gala evening, held at the Gallagher Convention Centre in Midrand on November 17, were the Chief Executive Awards made to SANParks employees, an initiative to celebrate the successes and contributions of individuals and groups in conservation management in South Africa.
The ceremony was attended by Derek Hanekom, Acting Minister of Environmental Affairs, Fundisile Mketeni, SANParks CEO, Total South Africa, First National Bank and other sponsors, winners of Kudu Awards in other categories and various other stakeholders.
Jann Kingsley, a Director of Seolo Africa, and CEO of RWS said the 2108 Kudu Award was a testament to the hard work of every member of the team
“We have had an incredibly long-serving staff and very stable team at RWS since its inception in 2002,” said Kingsley. “Something we’re justifiably proud of, and it shows in the work that they do and in the corresponding contribution that we have been able to make to conservation through our partnership with SANParks.
“We would like to congratulate all the other winners of Kudu Awards and the Chief Executive awards,” she added. “Wildlife tourism and conservation are closely linked and with good team efforts, and as small cogs in a very large wheel, we are all able in our own small ways to contribute to the sustainable management of our wild places.”
The Seolo Africa group includes Plains Camp (Home of Rhino Walking Safaris), Rhino Post Safari Lodge and the newly opened luxury Chundu Island Lodge on the Zambezi, 21 kilometres upstream from Victoria Falls in Zimbabwe.
