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A land claim turned into opportunity, Mdluli Safari Lodge is driving economic change and tourism growth near Numbi Gate.
A lot of hard work was put into the lodge. Picture: Hein Kaiser
Mdluli Safari Lodge, on the edge of the Kruger National Park next to Numbi Gate, is a working example of a land claim turned into a successful community tourism initiative.
It’s delivering employment and economic benefits under a public-private partnership that is majority-owned by the Mdluli community.
Chris Schalkwyk, director at the lodge, said the project was based on the vision of Chief MZ Mdluli. “He wanted to reclaim the community’s land to create employment and use it for conservation and tourism.”
Lodge based on the vision of Chief MZ Mdluli
The land was returned to the community in the late ’90s after a lengthy negotiation process. “It took from around 1994 until 1998 to get the land back. After that, it was another 27 years before the lodge could be built due to environmental approvals and raising capital,” Schalkwyk said.
Construction started in 2019 and the lodge opened in January 2020. However, the Covid pandemic forced a temporary closure within weeks of its launch.
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The lodge has since stabilised and now operates as a fully functioning business.
It has focused on community involvement throughout its operations, Schalkwyk said.
“We have drilled boreholes supplying water to about 4 000 people in the nearby village. We are also working on an egg-laying project that will supply eggs to the lodge and the community.”
Local businesses supply produce and services
Local businesses supply fresh produce to the lodge and services such as waste removal and staff transport are provided by small enterprises in the community.
“We also run a bush-clearing project that employs 10 people. The community’s tribal authority sells the harvested wood for revenue and some is used by the lodge,” Schalkwyk said.
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Alien plant removal projects are also underway.
The lodge currently employs 130 people on a permanent basis.
Schalkwyk said additional jobs have been created through support services, including waste removal, transport, bush clearing, and landscaping.
Additional jobs created
“In total, close to 200 people are employed. Considering that many households in the area have eight to 12 dependants per breadwinner, the economic impact reaches over 2 000 individuals,” he said.
“We recruited around 70% of our staff from the community, including many who had not worked in tourism before. Experienced staff from other lodges were brought in to support training and skills development.”
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The lodge draws employees from four villages and has implemented a policy to distribute job opportunities evenly.
