Women of the Wild

1. Tell us more about yourselves and your roles at Klaserie Drift

Prudence: I am a daughter, mother, and aunt to all my community children at home – and a Camp Manager at Klaserie Drift Misava.

Brenda: I am a Camp Manager and Rooms Division Manager at Klaserie Drift Misava, and have been here for 7 years since 2019.

Naledi: I work in Front of House. My role is really being the first smile and the last goodbye for our guests - from check-ins, to making sure their stay runs smoothly, to handling those little details that make a stay feel special. I love that I get to be the link between our guests and the whole lodge team.

Jess: I was born in Polokwane and grew up going to Kruger so I have always enjoyed seeing wild animals and being in nature. After studying B.com Tourism Management I started my career in Sabi Sands and, a few lodges later, ended up at Klaserie Drift in 2019 – having worked in reservations since. I’m very fortunate to have my twin sister, Lindley, working alongside me – we make a fantastic team!

Lindley: I have always loved nature and when it was time to choose a career path I wanted to work in a luxury lodge in Greater Kruger. 14 years ago I completed my Business degree with specialism in Tourism Management, began working as a receptionist in Sabi Sands, and the rest is history! I now work alongside my twin sister, Jessica, in the reservations department!

Malebo: I am the HR and Finance Administrator at KD. I work closely with our General Managers Dawie and Talitha on contracts, company policies and disciplinary procedures.  I also do account recons, follow up with suppliers on invoices etc

Camp Manager and experience magician, Prudence

2. What do you most enjoy about your role?

Jess: I really enjoy receiving positive feedback from guests after their stay and arranging the perfect proposal experience for couples coming to Misava.

Prudence: I love giving every guest an unforgettable African bush experience and perfect stay – especially creating personalised experiences that go above and beyond what people expect.

Naledi: The people! I love turning a tired traveller after a long drive into someone who feels at home in the first few minutes at our Lodge. That moment when a guest who was quiet or stressed starts laughing and relaxing, that's my favourite part, and I love the buzz of it.

Malebo: Even though I'm behind the scenes I love that I play an important role in making the lodge run smoothly.  And I get to learn a lot from my bosses.

Brenda: I most enjoy working with my great teammates. They create such a welcoming community which is so important when working in a lodge!

Lindley: I really enjoy planning the perfect safari for guests and hearing how much they enjoyed their safari with us.

Camp Manager and expert organiser, Brenda

3. Is there a particular guest experience or moment that has stayed with you?

Naledi: Yes, definitely. We had a guest who arrived after a very long journey and her luggage was lost. She was exhausted and quite upset, which is completely understandable. I just stayed with her, helped her track the bag, kept her updated so she didn't have to worry, and put together a little comfort pack for the night with toiletries and changing t-shirts from our shop, and offered quick laundry for the next pair.

When her bag arrived the next day, she was so relieved. On check-out she hugged me and said thank you for turning a stressful start into a stay where she still felt cared for. That moment stayed with me because it reminded me why I love Front of House. It's not just about check-in and check-out, it's about making someone feel safe and looked after when things don't go as planned.

Prudence: Yes, some guests stayed with us for their anniversary celebration and ended up leaving in tears (happy ones!). That moment stayed with me forever. Later, they invited me to their home and introduced me to their family - I now have families that I’ve gained while I was simply doing my work. My job gives me the opportunity to have a positive impact on people’s lives and I truly cherish that.

Brenda: Yes, we had a lady staying from Cape Town going through a difficult time. She didn’t go on game drive so I sat with her at the pool and we had a really deep heart to heart, finding that we shared a lot of common ground in our personal lives at that time. She opened up her life to me and it really touched me. Afterwards we hugged and she was so much happier the next day. Even now, we still talk from time to time. Knowing that I added value and was able to be there for her was really special.

Lindley: I love when guests arrive at camp as guests – and leave as family after sharing a life-changing stay and enjoying the beautiful African scenery, animals, and wonderful staff at Misava.

Malebo: I'm not guests orientated in my current role, but in my previous roles it used to give me so much joy seeing the guests experience a safari for the first time. That joy will always be a part of why I love the bush so much.

Jess: We had a couple from Germany who celebrated their elopement at Misava and absolutely loved it – they return for their anniversary every second year!

Twin sisters, Jess and Lindley, our amazing Reservations duo

4. What does Women’s month mean to you?

Malebo: Women's day reminds me of the struggles women had to overcome in order to be seen as equals to men. Though I believe we do everything better than men! It's a reminder to never forget to be grateful that today we are able to choose careers we want and live the life we want without being apologetic.

Jess: A month to celebrate the fact that women play an important role in the South African workforce and to encourage women’s empowerment and equality.

Prudence: It’s a personal reminder to appreciate resilience, embrace empowerment, and actively support gender equality in everyday life.

Brenda: It's a celebration of women because they play an integral role in society. They are the backbone of families and are crucial to the growth and development of communities.

Lindley: Women’s month to me is about the appreciation and upliftment of women for equal opportunities across many industries and spheres of life.

Naledi: For me, Women's Month is about resilience and grace. It's a reminder that as women, especially in hospitality, we carry a lot, we are strong, we are soft, we are professional, we are caring, all at once. It's about celebrating how far we've come and lifting the next woman as we rise. I've learned that being a woman in this industry is not about being loud, it's about being steady and kind even when things are hard.

Naledi - Front of House extraordinaire

5. Who is a woman you look up to and why?

Brenda: I admire Oprah Winfrey - she was born into poverty in rural Mississippi to a single, teenage mother but became the richest African-American of the 20th Century. She is often ranked as the most influential women in the world. 

Lindley: I look up to my grandmother, she is always determined and never afraid of hard work. Fierce but compassionate, supportive, loving, and taught me that the sky is the limit.

Naledi: I look up to the women who lead with kindness but don't play small. Professionally, it's the women managers who create safe spaces for other women to speak up, I've been lucky to have one of those in my corner. Personally, it's my mother, the women who raised me, she taught me to keep going with dignity, no matter what room you are in.

Malebo: My mom and the women in her family. They raised us to believe in ourselves and to know our worth. Today I stand on the shoulders of incredible women, I am a strong woman because strong women raised me.

Jess: My mother – she is exceptionally hard working and despite facing many challenges she runs a successful business.

Prudence: My mom. She shows resilience through hardship and is my biggest supporter. 

Malebo - our HR and Finance dynamo