Dinokeng Game Reserve a catalyst for youth empowerment in Hammanskraal
One such initiative is Smart Farm, located near the reserve. Purchased by Inqaba Biotec, a Pretoria-based company, as part of its corporate social investment strategy, the farm is being used to uplift the Hammanskraal community through sustainable agriculture.
In the heart of Hammanskraal in the north of Pretoria, where job opportunities have long been scarce and hope often hard to find, a powerful story of youth empowerment is quietly unfolding.
The Dinokeng Game Reserve, Gauteng’s only Big 5 game reserve, is doing more than drawing tourists.
It’s creating jobs, supporting youth-owned businesses, and offering life-changing opportunities to young people in the region.
The MMC for Economic Development and Spatial Planning, Sarah Mabotsa, alongside MMC for Corporate and Shared Services Kholofelo Morodi recently visited the reserve to engage with the local SMMEs and co-operatives benefiting from their proximity to the game reserve.
What they found was a growing ecosystem of young entrepreneurs and professionals who are not only surviving but thriving, thanks to initiatives rooted in inclusive economic development.
One such initiative is Smart Farm, located near the reserve. Purchased by Inqaba Biotec, a Pretoria-based company, as part of its corporate social investment strategy, the farm is being used to uplift the Hammanskraal community through sustainable agriculture.
This morning, I have the honour of joining MMC @SarahMabotsa at Dinokeng Game Lodge in Hammanskraal.
It’s very heartwarming to see businesses by Young people. This is a Laundromat run by them.@CityTshwane pic.twitter.com/TnIQIOdKmr
— Kholofelo Morodi (@kholofeloMorodi) April 7, 2025
The farm collaborates with the Worldwide Fund for Nature (WWF) and has already trained and employed 30, at least 16 of whom are youth.
“This is more than just farming. It’s a story of transformation.
“The Smart Farm is equipping our young people with skills that align with both market demand and environmental sustainability,” said Mabotsa.
The farm has supplied high-value crops such as sweetcorn and green beans to industry giants such as McCain and Heineken.
Mabotsa said beyond agriculture, it’s also becoming a learning ground for future farmers.
Tanya Farder of WWF said this is a true example of community upliftment in harmony with nature.
Just outside the gates of Dinokeng, several youth-driven small businesses tapped into the tourism economy.
One of them was New Heights Laundry, based at the Ndlovu gates, which provides laundry and cleaning services to lodges within the reserve.
“The energy, creativity, and resilience of these young entrepreneurs are inspiring.
“We didn’t just see a game reserve. We saw a hub of innovation and economic activity, much of it driven by the youth of Hammanskraal,” said Mabotsa.
The game reserve is a public-private partnership that took shape over 25 years and officially opened in 2011.
Today, the lodges inside the park employ between 800 and 1 000 people.
Inclusive economic growth is what we want for our metro and our country.
The Dinokeng Game Reserve provides direct employment to hundreds of people and, as the linked SMMEs and co-operatives demonstrate, provides further benefits from the indirect jobs and economic opportunities that the tourism sector is bringing to this region.”
Mabotsa encouraged residents and tourists alike to support these local initiatives.
“We must encourage our communities and visitors to explore Tshwane and discover what is being made in the metro.
“When we invest in our communities, we help create more economic opportunities for our fellow residents,” she said.
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