Staff

Mankazana Safaris is owned and managed by Frans and Justine Bussiahn, who have strong ties to the conservation and wildlife industries in South Africa. They own the beautiful farm, Lemoenkraal, situated in the Mankazana Valley, where they live with their three boys, Daniel,Thomas and Samuel.
Frans is a passionate hunter and wildlife enthusiast, and has a Masters Degree in Zoology. He is also the recipient of the East Cape Game Management Association's "Professional Hunter of the Year" award and is an SCI Official Measurer. Justine, who grew up in the Mankazana Valley, is a renowned local artists and qualified Xhosa teacher 

Professional Hunters

Mankazana Safaris makes use of a number of professional hunters on a regular basis. Each PH is handpicked for various attributes, in order to ensure that our high standards and ethics are maintained at all times. Our current pool of PH's includes:

  • Graeme Hjul , a local game rancher, bow hunting enthusiast and qualified SATOUR Tour Guide 
  • Anthony Schenk, an experienced professional hunter, also holds national colours for shore angling and is responsible for all mankazana safaris' fishing expeditions
  • Edward Everton, an energitic PH from Grahamstown, who specialises in hunting bushpig and caracal.
  • Colin Bennett, a local PH from the Adelaide area, who was born and raised in the Mankazana Valley

Our dedicated and knowledgeable professional hunters have a combined hunting experience of over 80 years and will do everything possible to ensure their clients have a successful hunt. Whereas we will at all times attempt to accommodate a client's request for a particular PH, we are unable to give any guarantees in this regard.

Trackers

Our tracking and skinners, comprising Mongezi Willem, Nyanisile Simandolo, Andile Balangile and Jackson Ntengu, have over 100 years combined hunting experience and are arguably some of the finest trackers to be found in the Eastern Cape. Extremely knowledgeable and commited, they can justifiably be proud of taking some of the finest trophies ever hunted in the Mankazana Valley and greater Adelaide area. Their achievements have been formally recognised by the East Cape Game Management Association, which voted Andile Balangile "Best Tracker of the Year", on two occasions, namely 2004 and again in 2009.

Lodge Staff

Our cook, Thelma Mboyiya, is an integral member of the Mankazana Safaris team and has become a household name amongst many of our guests. Her delicious meals of venison are legendary and her speciality, kudu fillet served with a blue cheese and almond sauce, is the culinary highlight of most safaris. Thelma is ably assisted by our lodge staff, comprising Beauty Balangile, Morina Ndayimani, Nothemba Mboyiya and Welile Mboyiya, who are as friendly and efficient as any team you are likely to meet in South Africa. The delicious meals, clean laundry, tidy lodges and piles of firewood which appear every day, are thanks to their untiring efforts and without which, our hunting memories would be so much poorer. The late nights and early mornings they spend away from their families, to ensure our comfort, are much appreciated.