Kololo Game Reserve is a malaria-free game reserve situated in Limpopo in the heart of the UNESCO-proclaimed Waterberg Biosphere and only 3 hours from the Johannesburg international airport. Kololo is a perfect safari destination offering accommodation which features twelve upmarket chalets ranging from exclusive King and Queen chalets, a relaxed garden and private bush chalets positioned in the pristine bushveld.

FTTSA investigates efforts made by the business to purchase as many goods and services as possible in the local area. Kololo Game Reserve makes significant efforts towards this, not only through its concerted and ongoing strategy to identify local food producers, but also by helping new, local businesses get started and by continuously investigating new procurement opportunities in the immediate area.

Family-owned Kololo Game Reserve and its team of employees are also strongly committed to capacity building and social development in their local community. Social development initiatives include support provided to a school bursary, an educational programme and an orphans’ assistance programme operated by the local Waterberg Welfare Society (WWS). Guests are able to make financial contributions directly to the activities of the Waterberg Welfare Society as well as through non-financial donations (e.g. books and clothes), which are collected by Kololo Game Reserve for distribution to WWS.

One of FTTSA’s key principles is Respect for Environment, which can be measured in relation to planning, operational management, and investment in conservation activities. Not only is Kololo Game Reserve managing its property in accordance with the principles of the Waterberg Biosphere, but it is also an active participant in the Waterberg Conservancy, which encourages communication and collaboration among landowners towards sound environmental management of their properties.

In addition, Kololo Game Reserve has recently launched its ‘Friends of Kololo Plant a Tree’ programme. Through this initiative, guests are encouraged to buy an indigenous tree; for every plant a guest buys, Kololo plants an extra tree for free! Kololo has also signed up with the national Working for Water initiative in order to eradicate alien trees and plants, while future plans for the game reserve include becoming environmentally self-sufficient by means of solar power, thereby reducing the demand on non-renewable resources. Kololo has already built three accommodation units equipped with solar geysers.

Owner of Kololo Game Reserve, Ton Jansen, said, “Receiving the FTTSA certification mark is a huge compliment to all the people at Kololo. It shows that we have been doing things right the last couple of years and receiving the certification is a jewel in the crown. I am a very proud man!”