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We started Indaba Safaris in August 1992 operating from our home
with only one minibus. As the only guide with the company, Greg
was working morning, noon & night so eventually in January 1994
we employed Solly Mabuza who Greg had worked with at Casa do
Sol. In October 1994, Helga Goument joined Tracey on a
permanent basis to help her run the office at Sanbonani
Timeshare Resort after a year of helping out on odd days. Andre
Duif joined us as a guide in 1993. In 1995, we built onto our
house and moved the operation there. At this stage we were a
staff of 6 including Greg & Tracey, running a small fleet of 5
vehicles. Shortly after the move, Alfred Mashiloane, who was the
2nd Shangaan to become a registered guide in, what was then, the
Eastern Transvaal, came to work with us. In 1996 we took
delivery of 4 open safari vehicles which changed the safari
industry in the Kruger National Park forever. Our staff grew to
12, when we were joined by Wayne & Vicky Nel, who now own the
Palms Wilderness Retreat, and our small home office became way
too small for us all! So we bought 2 plots next door to the
house and built a small office on the one and the other became
the car park. In 1998 we were approached by Thompsons Tours, the
Inbound division of the Thompsons Group, started by Anton
Thompson some 22 years earlier and in 1999 we became part of
their Touring division. We were their first safari division and
the patent for their subsequent safari operations in Hluhluwe &
Malelane. In May 2009, we were approached by our Chairman with a
view to us taking over the branch again which became a reality
on 1st Sep 2009.
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