Interview with Tom-Hendrik Basson

— Manager at Rhulani Safari Lodge —

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Rhulani Safari Lodge

What is your name and how long have you been in the hospitality industry?

My Name is Tom-Hendrik Basson, and I have been in the hospitality industry for 8 years.

What were your first impressions when you started working at Rhulani Safari Lodge?

My first impression of Rhulani was that it is special in the sense that everyone knew their job and there was a big family feel around the lodge, which is not something that I have experienced before. If you needed something, someone was there with a smile to assist you and teach you how things worked.

When you took over the management of Rhulani what to you, personally, was THE key element to making your lodge as good as it can be?

To make sure that the Rhulani Team is strong. If your team is strong everything else will fall into place.

Management styles are varied. How would you describe yours?

I believe in leading by example and I do not expect someone else to do a job that I am not willing to do. Trust and respect are earned, and actions speak louder than words. I know the team all know their job, I want them to realize the greatness that I see in them, and I lead them in a way to reflect that. I will be hard on you if I see you are wasting your potential, but I will also praise you for doing the right thing, even if you were the only one doing it.

What was your biggest surprise that came with operating a lodge in Madikwe Game Reserve?

The biggest surprise for me would have to be the number of questions that you would have to answer in a day.

What is your favorite animal in Madikwe?

My favorite animal in Madikwe would have to be Elephants.

What is your happiest moment at Rhulani?

I have thought of this for a while. Yes, there might have been some moments that provided fleeting happiness. But the real happiness came from the consistency of showing up even in the bad days, those bad days were some of the best days as those were the days that challenged you, changed you and shaped you as a person.

What is your biggest daily challenge at Rhulani?

The limestone in the water.

What is your favorite food your kitchen makes?

The Oxtail potjie during boma braai nights.

Why do you do what you do? You have decided to spend your time operating a lodge in one of the most challenging environments on the planet, the African bush. Stuck in the middle of nowhere, day after day, months at a time, what drives you to keep doing this?

Because I enjoy meeting new people. I do what I do because I can work in the environment that I love with people who share the same passions as I do. I realize that everything you want in life requires hard work, so even if I am stuck in the middle of nowhere, day after day. I love what I do, if you do that it will never feel like work.

What is your bush story? Everyone who works at a lodge has a bush story that either nobody believes or which cracks everyone up. What is yours?

During lockdown we were picking items up around the lodge. As I was bent down picking up papers, I walked up to the helipad searching all along the pathways as I went for little pieces of rubbish that might have been lying on the pathway. I looked up from the ground and I was standing face to face with a Cape Buffalo. We locked eyes and we both ran in the opposite direction due to the unexpected meeting.

What is your personal favorite thing about Rhulani Safari Lodge?

The silence that overcomes your body and mind once you have been in the bush again for a few days.

Thinking back, what are some of the most memorable moments with guests that you have had in the past?

For me one memory that will always shine very brightly was when we had guests that arrived for their first time in South Africa. The lady was very excited to see elephants as this has been her wish for the longest time to see elephants in their natural habitat. On their arrival there were elephants at the watering hole, and we went down into the Tshembo Hide to view them. She was awe-struck and started crying from the experience of being so up close to her childhood dream. That for me instilled again how blessed we are to live in this area where other people dream to be.

What has operating in the bush taught you?

Always expect the unexpected. You can never truly plan out your day in the bush. It always finds a way of humbling you and showing you are not in control.

Final question, what is your favorite thing about Madikwe Game Reserve?

The great amount of respect that is shown to the animals and nature within the reserve by everyone that works inside the reserve, from guides to lodge staff.

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