Africa Wild

By **Andre Botha**

It is with great sadness that I received an e-mail from Pafuri Section Ranger Sandra Visagie informing me of the passing of SANParks staff member Frank Mabasa after a short illness on Friday, the 21st of April 2017.

Most people, and birders in particular, who have visited the Pafuri Picnic Site in Kruger over the last 18+ years will remember Frank who was responsible for keeping the site in good running order and always welcomed visitors with his BIG smile and enthusiastic nature. Frank's love for the greater Pafuri area, its birds and wildlife was obvious and I will remember him constantly harassing me in the early 2000's to become part of the BLSA Bird Guide Training programme whenever we met.

We were finally able to include him in a group of SANParks trainees who underwent specialist bird-guide training at Shingwedzi early in 2003 and he excelled as far as his knowledge of birds, and their calls in particular, was concerned.

Having been fortunate to visit Pafuri several times per year since then, Frank and I were often able to see each other and catch up on things and to talk about some of his latest sightings and experiences. I will most certainly miss his physical presence at Pafuri when I go there next, but know that he will somehow always be present and part of my memories of that very special place.

RIP Frank, may there be as much beauty and even more wonderful birds where you are now.

Image courtesy of Scott Ramsay.Read this article from Santi Van Niekerk if you want to learn more about this remarkable man.

http://www.our.africabliss.co.za/images ... Mabasa.pdf

My sincere condolences to the Mabasa family

For those of you who had the privilege of meeting this remarkable man, will know, there was just something special about this Kruger legend

Always friendly, always smiling, bit it was his remarkable ability, no giving talent , his knowledge of the birds of Kruger that made him an unique individual

Frank , you will be greatly missed, Pafuri will forever remember you , you will always be in Kruger's heart

Your footprints forever edged in the sand of Pafuri

i salute you my friend - RIP

I will certainly miss our long chats and Pafuri picnic spot will never be the same again for me

bye bye Frank... my friend

big hugs to the family

This is terrible news indeed.

Frank has been a great friend for maybe two decades. Old school, with an idetic memory. Never at a loss for words, critical when needed. Respected and respectful without any nonsense. He had chances to move on, and knew perfectly well he was an international legend but stuck to his guns regarding various topics. One never knew exactly what he was thinking, and I regard him as an intellectual counterpart without doubt. He had a humble upbringing, to put it mildly, yet never complained other than when he knew things were simply wrong, which many can take a lesson from. He also had a wry sense of humour, and a ready smile.

His place got washed away a couple of times, but was soon spotless again despite being the most remote in Kruger. And it was always spotless bar issues beyond his control. I must say he had no problem regarding expanding his family, which we regularly joked about, but those descendants have some damned fine genes!

His birding initiative started long before any upliftment angle and what not, and was born from simple passion and initiative without much thought of personal reward. His knowledge and passion, to repeat the word, humbles me as a person and wildlife fanatic. Not because of the obstacles he overcame his whole life, but because he was my superior in these respects, and a trusted peer.

The kicker, and this brings tears to my eyes, is that one can talk for an hour with a superior, then he washes your dishes.



Wish we had more of him in this country.


Thank you very much, Frank.


Oct 2016

Gawd, the realities of life!!!
Always hard to digest!!

In contrast to most of you I never had the honour to meet Frank but his name certainly rang a bell because
each and every person talking of him only had to say good stuff. Also, he looks way too young to be gone already...

Condolences to his family and his friends who will all miss him sorely

RIP Frank

We met him in August 2015 and what a great man

What a legend he was and will always be.....

RIP my dear friend

Had the pleasure of meeting him a couple of
times. His passing comes as a bit of a shocker.

His intro to me was all about some ground thrush,
a lifer. A certain emptiness will prevail at Pafuri,.

a great pity!!!