Ecological positivism
The safari lodges managed by Conservation Corporation Africa are known for their luxury and quality of service, yet it's the company's commitment to eco-tourism that has gained real global currency. Helen Adkins visited Bongani mountain lodge in South Africa to see a pioneering model in action.
It's only just possible to spot the thatched roofs of the Bongani mountain lodge chalets on the slopes of the Mthethomusha reserve, bordering South Africa's Kruger National Park. Situated in the foothills of the Malelane mountain range, the 8,000-hectare area is thick with sweet and sour veld, perfect camouflage for the rich variety of wildlife that includes the "big five" - leopard, lion, rhino, elephant and buffalo.
Bongani - the word means "thank you" in Swazi - has been under Conservation Corporation Africa (CCA) management since 1996. Guests begin their stay with a 7km drive from the entrance to the reserve, through the rock formations of the game reserve to the lodge perched on a granite peak. They are welcomed with traditional songs from the local Mpakeni community and an African candlelit dinner around the "boma" fire. At night they retire to air-conditioned chalets, having been escorted there by an armed ranger as a safety precaution against wandering animals. Twice a day, they are driven out into the reserve to view the diverse range of wildlife close up.
Preserving the environment
For many overseas and South African visitors, this mix of hospitality and wildlife makes for an unforgettable experience, yet the company offers more than luxury holidays. Bongani is one of 25 CCA lodges committed to preserving the environment, reclaiming degraded farmland, restocking wildlife reserves and bringing work, training and economic prosperity to its local communities.
It is the dream of Dave Varty, who set up the company in 1990 off the back of the Londolozi lodge, in South Africa's Sabi Sand reserve. His motto was "Care of the land, care of the wildlife, care of the people", and his aim was to attract a high net worth from a global leisure market, to fuel the development of conservation, land-restoration and local community involvement.
Since then, CCA has steadily built up its portfolio of safari lodges based on the Londolozi model. Phinda, opened in Zululand in 1990, is a collection of four lodges currently up for sale for US$25m (£17.4m) - provided the new owner agrees that CCA continues to manage the reserve. Kwandwe is the latest lodge, opened in 2001 and backed by American investor Carl de Santis, who has embraced the model's principles and put US$10m (£6.95m) into the project. In the same year, the company announced plans to raise US$6.25m (£4.35m) in order to expand operations in other parts of Africa.
Alongside CCA, the non-profit organisation Africa Foundation, set up by Varty, supports rural African projects. Over the years, CCA claims to have created more than 3,000 jobs, supporting more than 35,000 people. It currently employs 1,900.
The company's policy is one of the main reasons why Danel Van Zyl chose to come to work at Bongani as operations director. "What first impressed me about CCA were the projects the lodge was involved in," she says. "I don't want to work in another hotel like a robot. We are a hotel, but we are also involved in the community."
The reserve around Bongani is owned by the Mpakeni community and is leased to a private board of executives for 99 years. CCA was brought in to manage the lodge in 1996 and is committed to employing, where possible, all its staff from Mpakeni and Luphisi communities nearby.
Bongani has about 67 staff. Locals start as cleaners or maintenance workers, but are trained on the job in other positions they may be interested in - from cook, front of house manager or tracker - then promoted when new positions become available. The average salary is R1,800 (£112) a month, after deductions for a pension fund, food and accommodation. Competition is strong - Van Zyl receives up to 10 job enquiries a week, while others are prepared to work voluntarily in order to get a foot in the door.
In addition to daily duties, some employees are involved in the lodge's community projects, many of which are funded by the Africa Foundation. Ranger Gideon Thwala is in charge of implementing projects on the ground, which include building new classrooms for local schools, connecting them to electricity, organising computer training, and getting fresh water into villages.
Guests also like to be involved. "A lot of guests want to contribute to the local community," says Van Zyl. "We organise trips so they can see what problems we have. One decided to give a large donation towards new school rooms, which we have been building over the past 18 months. Others might send parcels of school supplies."
The lodge itself is run like any other hotel. Rates are lower than Londolozi (and most other CCA lodges) at US$115 (£80) per person per night including breakfast and evening meal, and the staff-to-guest ratio is 1:1 rather than 3:1. Cheap deals for air crews keeps the average achieved room rate down at US$55 (£38.20), as do special rates offered to the South African market, which accounts for 60% of business.
Bongani has had its ups and downs over the years, but is making a small profit for the first time since it reopened in June 2000. In early 2000 the Mozambique floods washed away roads and bridges, forcing the lodge to shut. After low staff morale led to a management walkout, Van Zyl was brought in as part of a new team to restore motivation, refurbish and rethink every aspect of the operation from supplies to marketing.
"At the moment it is making only a small profit, so the other lodges are carrying us. But we know Bogani can work," says Van Zyl. "We have only just got back on our feet after starting from scratch, but business is good."
Bongani Mountain Lodge
PO Box 41, Kaapmuiden 1295 South Africa
Tel: 00 27 13 764 1114
Chalets: 20; suites: 10
Staff: 67
Average occupancy 2001: 40-50%
Average monthly occupancy for January/February/March: 80%
Projected occupancy for 2002: 60%
Average achieved room rates: US$55 (£38.20)
Rates: US$115 (£80) per person per night - includes dinner, bed and breakfast
Game drives: US$34 (£23.60) per person, Lunch: US$9 (£6.25) per person
General manager: Shaun Strydom
Operations manager: Danel Van Zyl
Conservation corporation Africa's portfolio includes:
South Africa: Londolozi, Sabi Sand reserve; Ngala private game reserve, Kruger National Park; Phinda, Maputaland; Kwandwe private game reserve, Eastern Cape
Zimbabwe: Matetsi game lodgesTanzania: Klein's camp, Grumeti river camp, Maji Moto and Mnemba island
Kenya: Kichwa Tembo
Botswana: Sandibe lodge and Nxabega Okovango safari camp
Namibia: Sossusvlei mountain lodge
Conservation corporation Africa
Private Bag X27, Benmore 2010
Johannesburg, South Africa
Tel: 00 27 11 809 4300
http://www.ccafrica.com
