Ranger/Tracker Team
Robbie Prehn/Andries Ndluvu

Robbie Prehn

Robbie was raised in the small town of Bothaville in the central part of South Africa. In 1997 he and his father decided to start a commercial lodge on the family farm in Balule Nature Reserve. He is qualified as a local guide and has a trails guide, Advanced Weapon Handling and Viewing of Potentially Dangerous Animals on Foot certificates.

He is also an avid amateur photographer and while his photographic gear gets bigger and heavier his arms and legs seem to stay as skinny as ever. 14 Years of guiding in the reserve provides him with an intimate knowledge of the area and the animals and their habits. Most animals grew up before his eyes and he knows a lot of them by name. His favourite animal is a mongoose called Wild Thing.

Andries Ndluvu

Andries was born in a small village called Mapulangweni in Mozambique where he learnt his tracking skills from his father while spending hours hunting duiker and steenbuck for food. He came to South Africa to escape from the civil war raging in Mozambique and is now a proud South African citizen. He started working at Moholoholo Wildlife Rehabilitation Centre where he stayed for 4 years.

He then went to Timbavati Nature Reserve where he worked as a tracker for the next 14 years. He joined Pondoro 7 years ago where Robbie very quickly noticed his amazing tracking skills and he and Robbie have been an inseparable ranger/tracking team ever since. Andries’ favourite animal at Pondoro is the young male leopard called Chavaluthu.

Ranger/Tracker Team
Rulani Ntemani/ America Ndluvu

Rulani Ntemani

Rulani was born and raised in Mala Mala adjacent to Kruger National Park. It was during this formative years that he developed his passion for nature as well as the legendary tracking skills that makes him so special. After school he worked for 4 years for Prof J.C. Coetzee who was a professor in Anthropology at RAU helping him to obtain data for research.

He then went back to his roots working at Elephant Plains Game Lodge in the Sabisand wildtuin for the next 13 years where he obtained his Local guide qualification, Trails guide, Advanced weapon handling and Viewing potentially dangerous animals on foot certificates. He joined Pondoro in 2009, got his Fgasa Level 1 and rest as they say is history. His favourite animal at Pondoro is a leopard male called Cheeky Boy.

America Ndluvu

America grew up at Welverdiend close to Kruger National Park. He started working in the construction industry and joined Pondoro in 2008 as a general assistant on the recommendation of Andries Ndluvu his father and stalwart tracker at Pondoro.

His enthusiasm and hard work paid off as he started his training as a tracker early in 2011 under the supervision of Rul Ntemani. His training forms part of Pondoro’s vision of identifying and nurturing people with talent and to do in-house training to expand the skills of its workers.

Ranger/Tracker Team
Mark Nicholson/Remson Sibuyi

Mark Nicholson

Mark attended NNMU, Saasveld technicon for three years studying Nature Conservation. Thereafter Mark worked in Tanzania for Tanzania Game Tracker Safaris where he managed a tented camp on a concession of 200000 hectares. This gave him invaluable experience in dealing with a variety of high paying clients and experiencing the trials and tribulations of the bush.

For 6 months of the year he dealt with the camp and clients and for the other half of the year he was in charge of the anti-poaching teams, and this included all variations of poaching from elephants all the way down to timber and honey poaching. He is also a qualified Professional Hunter.

Mark then worked as a videographer for African Dreams Productions, filming safari trips throughout Africa. He then worked for Mafigeni Safari Company in Limpopo where he was the Reserve manager and photographic guide. His other interests include sea and fresh water fishing, photography and bird watching. He joined Pondoro in 2011 and his enthusiasm and love of nature hit us like a breath of fresh air.

Remson Sibuyi

Remson grew up in the Welverdiend area which borders the Kruger National Park. His career started in the gold mines at Sabi in Mpumalanga. He got employment in the hospitality industry in 1982 when he was offered a position as a tracker at Motswari Game Reserve.

He stayed there for the next 15 years learning and mastering his trade whereafter he decided to broaden his horizons and he worked at several other lodges before settling at Pondoro in 2010. With his ready smile and booming voice he soon became a favourite with guests and Pondoro staff alike.

Relief Ranger/Tracker

Eric Siwelane

Eric grew up in Cottondale close to Kruger National Park. He started working at Ntsiri in Umbabat Nature Reserve after leaving school. He stayed there for 6 years and his responsibilities were bush clearing and to repair areas of soil erosion. He then went to Tanda Tula in Timbavati Nature Reserve where he worked for 14 years as a tracker.

Upon leaving he went to Pondoro and has been here for the past 6 years. He brings with him a tremendous amount of experience and works as a tracker and relief ranger and is a firm favourite with guests. His favourite animal at Pondoro is the huge male leopard called Watsakile Madoda.