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I was born on the 03rd
of March 1980 in Acornhoek in Mpumalanga. I went
to a primary school called Hanani Primary, in
Dixie Village. My high school education was at
Manyangani High School.
I started working as a tracker at Nkorho Bush
Lodge where I worked for eight years. Afterwards
I did freelance work at Vuyatela before coming
to Elephant Plains in 2010.
I love working in the bush and everyday you have
a new challenge to spot the animals.
 Favourite
Animal : Wild Dogs
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I was born on the 28th of March
1988 in my hometown Ladysmith, where my family
still lives. I completed Grade 12 at Ladysmith
High School in 2006. Since I was little, I
wanted to be a ranger. We had a holiday house
just outside the Kruger National Park and we
spent every school holiday visiting the park.
This is where I fell in love with the bush and
the animals. I did my FGASA (Field Guide
Association of SA) qualification at Bush Academy
in Thabazimbi during 2007. After completing the
course I worked on a hunting farm in the
Ellisras area where I also did my PH course.
I started working at Elephant Plains Game
Lodge on the 16th of February 2008. I was
not yet 21 and could not take guests out on game
drives because I did not have my PDP (public
drive permit). During this time I worked on the
web cam, did general maintenance and spent time
learning the inns and outs of the game lodge
industry. I went on game drives and bush walks
with the qualified guides and in this way picked
up on invaluable experience.
When I turned 21 I did my PDP. I still worked as
a general lodge assistant at Elephant Plains.
Later that year Chitwa Chitwa Game Lodge needed
a temporary guide and I helped them out for
about two weeks. This was a great experience as
I realised that I really needed to be out in the
bush fulltime. Not long after that a ranger’s
position opened up at Elephant Plains. I
was on leave when Etienne and Marlet phoned and
offered me the position.
That was the happiest day of my life!
Favourite Animal : Pangolin |
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I was born in Phalaborwa on the 23rd
of March 1986. I went to primary school at
Mabine Primary School and did my secondary
school at Leboko High School. I joined the
Junior Honorary Rangers in the Kruger National
Park at Letaba Camp in 2005. My duties included
assisting guests at the Elephant Museum and
providing information about the African
Elephant. At the end of the year I received my
Junior Orientation and Junior Practical
Certificates.
In March 2007 I was accepted at the South
African Wildlife College to study guiding and
conservation for a year. At the end of the year
I received my game ranger certificate. I started
working at Elephant Plains during July 2009.
Here I gained a lot of experience and also
obtained more qualifications. I am a young,
dynamic individual that has passion, knowledge
and above all, respect for the environment.
My main aim is to contribute in attaining the
company’s objectives and concurrently improving
my teamwork skills in order to serve the company
to my maximum capacity. I wish to make a
meaningful contribution in this way. I strive
for quality work and enjoy learning new skills,
willing to tackle any challenge that comes my
way with a resilient character.
Favourite
Animal : Honey Badger |
I was born in Pretoria on the
28th of June 1985. I went to Irene Primary
School and Lyttleton Manor High School. I
completed Grade 12 in 2003 and in the same year
I represented South Africa for target shooting.
When I was growing up, we used to go camping in
the Kruger National Park almost every school
holiday and that’s where I fell in love with the
bush. After school I decided to study game
ranging and lodge management for two years.
I
worked at Kapama Private Game Reserve, close to
Hoedspruit, for a year and a half before I
joined the Elephant Plains team as a
ranger in 2008.
Favourite Animal : Elephant |
I
was born in the Sabi Sand Wildtuin at a lodge
called Djuma Bush Camp on the 05th of
March 1974. I spent most of my younger days
there learning a lot about the bush e.g.
medicine made from trees, roots and leaves. My
grandmother was excellent with that.
In 1980 I went to primary school at a small
village called Somerset Trust. I also attended
Mabarule High School and Manyangana Secondary
School in Utah. In 1993 I started working at
Chitwa Chitwa Game Lodge. I worked in the garden
for a year and as a tracker for 6 years. After
that I worked at Vuyatela. Here I did tracking
as well as the webcam. When my temporary
contract was finished, I came to Elephant
Plains.
I started working at Elephant Plains Game Lodge
on the 13th of January 2003. It is
here that I got all my qualifications.
Favourite Animal : Kudu |
I was born on the 1st of February
1983 in a very small town, in the Free State
province, called Bothaville. I started primary
school in January 1990 at Eben Dönges Primary
School and also completed my Grade 12 in
Bothaville High School. I grew up on a farm
with wide open spaces to play and a big river to
go fishing and swimming whenever I wanted to.
After high school I went to Naboomspruit in the
Limpopo Province and completed my Field Guide
course at Inkwazi. Once finished, I started
working at Kapama Private Game Reserve in
Hoedspruit. It was really unbelievable to
finally work in the bush and I was aiming on
getting all the experience I possibly could.
I worked at Kapama as a guide for about 3 years
and then came to Elephant Plains in
December 2006. I have been here ever since and
still enjoying every day’s new, exciting and
sometimes, unexpected happenings in the bush.
Favourite Animal : Elephant |
I
was born at Hluvukani on the 04th of
August 1985. I went to Ninamacingele Primary
School and thereafter completed my high school
education in Hluvukani.
Because I grew up in Hluvukani I liked to take
some cattle to go grazing and it is here in the
bush that I started to learn different tracks.
We also went to swim in the river a lot. After
high school I did a tracking course at Ngala
Private Lodge close to the Orpen Gate. I also
went to the Timbavati Bush School for plant
studies. After that I started working at
Thornybush Private Lodge, doing maintenance,
garden work as well as tracking.
After that I started work at Edeni Private Lodge
in Karongwe. I had a tracker position for two
years and I gained a lot of experience while
working there. I started working at Elephant
Plains Game Lodge on the 09th of July
2009.
Favourite Animal : Caracal |
My name is Willie Woest and I am the newest member of the Elephant Plains Rangers.
I was born on the 25th of July 1987, in a small farm village in the Loskop Valley, called Groblersdal.
I attended the High Technical School Middelburg, after which my working career started. The first year was spent behind a desk as the Operations Manager of Bundu Safari. My love for the bush got the better of me and I started my ranger’s career in the Pilanesberg National Park.
I have now been in the game lodge industry for just under 6 years and find myself privileged enough to now work in the Sabi Sand Wildtuin, which has been a lifelong dream. Firstly because the bush has been in my blood since I could barely walk and there in no grater place for a bush lover than the Sabi Sand, which forms part of the Greater Kruger National Park. Secondly, because of the great opportunities I have to see my favorite animal, the leopard and also the variety of snake species.
When I’m not in the bush you can find me spending my time fishing, or on the golf course.
Favourite Animal : Leopard |
