Luxury Train Hotel on Kruger's Selati Bridge

[Lisbeth]

Kruger Shalati to set new standards in Kruger National Park

MPUMALANGA – Having become a leading destination for travellers the world over, South Africa is well positioned to tap into the global luxury tourist market. With this in mind, Thebe Tourism Group has embarked on an exciting initiative which will see the opening of a new upmarket offering completely unique in the world.

Located in South Africa’s Kruger National Park, the Kruger Shalati Train on a Bridge is a unique luxury accommodation experience set to open in the Park during December 2019.


Paying tribute to an important part of history, when visitors to the Kruger National Park (KPN) once arrived by train, the Thebe Tourism Group is currently constructing the luxurious Kruger Shalati - Train on a Bridge project, to offer an unforgettable accommodation experience to travellers.

The project incorporates the iconic and still original old Selati railway bridge at Skukuza Camp, where the KNP’s first warden, James Steven-Hamilton, welcomed visitors nearly 100 years ago. At night, these same guests would retreat into the train to sleep, before it moved on to its next destination the following day.

Looking to recreate the magic of these early visitor encounters, the project will see the restoration and upgrading of a train that will permanently rest on the original tracks running across the bridge, high above the waters of the Sabie River. The train, in its stationary position with an external walkway attached to the bridge structure, allows the Kruger Shalati rooms to be much larger than the expected traditional train compartment-style room - complete with floor-to-ceiling windows welcoming the unsurpassed views from atop the Sabie River into the room. To further enhance this unique product offering, the old block-house next to the bridge will be used as the base for an innovative pool deck designed with an overhanging pool meters above the river flowing below with unique viewpoints over the Big 5 roaming below.

Immersing guests in the comfort of an Afro-chic boutique hotel experience, the train itself will offer 24 en-suite rooms able to sleep 48 guests, with another 7 rooms in adjacent Kruger Shalati Bridge House accommodating 14 beds on land next to the bridge. All rooms will offer guests a high-star rating luxury experience, and will be accompanied by fine dining and other leisure experiences on site.

Says Judiet Barnes, Concession General Manager of Kruger Shalati: “This is our opportunity to revitalise and recapture an important part of Kruger’s history, while at the same time increasing both the range and quality of product on offer in the park. The product design is largely the differentiator in this project – not only have we not seen anything alike in our country, but neither is there anything similar in the world, as a result an important ‘must experience’ destination will entice visitors locally and from across the globe to experience a very important part of our Park’s history”

“A very important part of the project will also be the way in which it will improve the lives of people in the local surrounding communities, who will be empowered through world-class training, skills development initiatives and ultimately job opportunities with the project. Furthermore, successful Land Claimants through a legal entity will have equity in the operation, giving the 6 CPAs which are part of the entity the opportunity to enter and participate in the hospitality investment sector ”

The Kruger Shalati team is working very closely with SANPARKS to ensure minimal disruption to the KNP, says Barnes: “We have put into place all the necessary measures needed to ensure the impact on the environment is minimal and the Fauna and Flora is not disturbed.”

“This is an exciting addition to our portfolio of tourism products in the Kruger”, says SANPARKS Managing Executive for Tourism Development and Marketing, Hapiloe Sello: “we are particularly excited about its uniqueness which will be a major attraction for domestic and international tourists alike.

“As with all tourist product developments within the National Parks, the developers have followed the key Responsible Tourism principles and are touching the earth lightly by adhering to the National Environmental Management guidelines and policies on which their Environmental Authorisation was granted to proceed with the development”

The train coaches, which are currently being restored in Johannesburg, will only be transported onto site once they are completed to further minimise disruption on site. The bridge where the coaches will be stationed has been fully assessed to ensure it is structurally sound and safe for use.

With Kruger Shalati, we want to create a tourism destination and a hospitality product so unique that people want to travel from around the world just to stay here for a holiday, and for domestic travellers to really be proud to have something that exists nowhere else in the world,'' said Jerry Mabena, CEO of Thebe Tourism Group. “Through this development, we are truly reimagining Africa with pioneering innovations and ingenuity.”

https://www.iol.co.za/business-report/e ... k-22411219

[Richprins]

Well, it ticks the boxes of SP being so poor, community involvement, political something, and making money out of the Selati Restaurant again after kicking the original owners out and having an expensive court case.

[Klipspringer]

Thebe was designed to assist the ANC through the Batho Batho Trust.
Is the ANC still an on­going beneficiary of the trust?
Do the tourists then fund the ANC?


I would just like to know this before I will do a booking

[Lisbeth]

Nine years old https://www.fin24.com/Economy/ANC-owns- ... 503?cpid=1

Seven years old http://www.tshwarisano.co.za/index.php? ... &Itemid=63

Five years old http://www.thebestockbroking.co.za/shareholders.html

This year but not much https://www.businesslive.co.za/bd/compa ... stigation/

[Klipspringer]

Batho Batho Trust holds 46,59% in Thebe.
http://www.thebe.co.za/about/#145494158 ... 044a2-00b0

But what exactly is this trust and its (former or ongoing) connection with the A NC. Does the trust donate the dividende to the party or how does it work. How can a community trust fund a party?


Here is another old article, but it sheds some light on the Batho Batho Trust

https://www.pressreader.com/south-afric ... 0373051732


Some info on the foundation of Thebe and Batho Trust:

https://open.uct.ac.za/bitstream/item/2 ... sequence=1

The ANC Inc.: Chancellor House and Eskom
The ANC launched its first investment arm in 1992. As part of
the transition to democracy, and in preparation for registering and
functioning as a political party, the ANC set up the Batho Batho Trust
with Nelson Mandela, Walter Sisulu and Tokyo Sexwale as trustees.
The trust established Thebe Investments. Thebe took over the ANC’s
financially troubled Movement Marketing Enterprises, which then
had the franchise to sell Nelson Mandela T-shirts and other ANC
memorabilia, and soon became the ANC’s investment arm. Thebe
acquired Dakawa Properties, which owned 51 Plein Street, where the
ANC headquarters of Luthuli House is located, and Oriole Travel,
then the ANC in-house travel agent.22 Over time Thebe acquired
significant shareholding in the private health, financial and insurance
sectors. However, the relationship between the Batho Batho Trust/
Thebe and the ANC gradually became distant – in the late 1990s,
Batho Batho significantly diluted its stake in Thebe. In 2006 Batho
Batho rejected the suggestion of Mendi Msimang, ANC treasurergeneral, that the proceeds of its sales be used to pay off ANC debts of
around R100 million, and insisted rather that ‘the ANC’s request for
funding would be adjudicated like that of any other applicant’.23 Set
up by the ANC, in the interests of the ANC, Batho Batho no longer
answered its master’s call.

[Richprins]

They donate heavily to the ANC, and always have. Generally they get wildly more than their money's worth by being awarded government contracts and tenders, often at inflated prices. In fact many, many ANC officials at all levels have businesses on the side, normally registered under the name of family members, or also registered under shell companies and "trusts".

[Klipspringer]

The Lowvelder article is now online

https://lowvelder.co.za/490727/project- ... questions/

[Lisbeth]

In 2006 Batho
Batho rejected the suggestion of Mendi Msimang, ANC treasurer-general, that the proceeds of its sales be used to pay off ANC debts of
around R100 million, and insisted rather that ‘the ANC’s request for
funding would be adjudicated like that of any other applicant’.23 Set
up by the ANC, in the interests of the ANC, Batho Batho no longer
answered its master’s call.

It would have been against the law, right? In SA you never know

[Klipspringer]

Lisbeth, I don't think so. A trust can obviously have beneficiaries as it pleases.
The dark area here is that this trust apparently never disclosed who the benefiicaries are, it's a lack of transparency.

I don't have a problem with the ACN running an investment company or having stake in Thebe, but it should be transparent where a party gets funds from.

[Lisbeth]

Certainly!!