Aussie recruit withdraws from Protrack in Hoedspruit

The recruit, Matt Rota, claimed his withdrawal was due to the terrible conditions and lack of basic food and sleeping arrangements, he and other recruits had to deal with while taking part in the course.

Herald went to Hoedspruit to investigate.

In Hoedspruit, the owner of Protrack, Vincent Barkas, accompanied the Herald to the company’s sleeping quarters in the town.

The recruits and their officers use these quarters when they are not in the field. The sleeping quarters basically consist of a house fitted out with bunk beds and a fully stocked and operational kitchen.

After the house, the fact finding mission continued on to Protrack’s base camp, on their own land near Hoedspruit.

The sleeping arrangements there are far more primitive.

The recruits however, say they knew exactly what they were getting into when they signed up for the course.

“You can’t train to fight a guerilla war against an army of poachers in the African bush, while sleeping in five star comfort,” said Dustin Thompson, one of Rota’s fellow Australian recruits, who is more than happy with the way they are treated.

Barkas then drove the Herald to a Big 5 game reserve (the reserve’s identity is withheld due to security concerns) on the outskirts of town, where the recruits, currently in a bush survival part of their training cycle, waited.

Once again the general mood was one of determined happiness.

Although Herald was left alone with the young men, none of them complained about the way they were treated.

On the contrary, they were full of praise for their officers and the strict way they were taught, both how to fight poachers and to survive in the African bush.

When the subject of Matt’s withdrawal from the course was brought up, the youngsters referred to him as “just another coffee shop activist” and “not somebody who was suitable to do the work they are all hoping and training to do someday.”

The food rations was also discussed and although the recruits felt nobody would ever call what they eat gourmet nibbles, it was more than enough to sustain them, even while undergoing strenuous physical exercise under the hot African sun. Charl Coetzee, a South African citizen, is trying the course for his second time, having dropped out last year.

“If we were unfairly or badly treated, do you really think I would come back for more?” He mentioned, before adding “Matt is a vegan and I think his main issue was not having enough fresh fruit and veggies, while we were undergoing a four day bush survival training camp on the reserve.”