Attended by 250 people, Amakhala Game Reserve’s Silver Jubilee Celebration was not only a reflection of its remarkable past, but a commitment to the future of conservation in the Eastern Cape. The opening of a new wildlife corridor where the Bushman’s River runs underneath the N2 highway allows the movement of wildlife not seen in these parts for over 200 years.

Among the attendees at the recent Amakhala Game Reserve’s Silver Jubilee Celebration were members of the media, 30 representatives of Amakhala’s unique land-owning collaboration and over half of the 400 staff members employed by the reserve. 25 children from the local Sidbury Primary also attended, who receive literacy and outdoor education from the Amakhala Foundation which was established in 2009.

 The attendees gathered round to form the shape of a large number "25" marked out in the veld and framed by game viewer vehicles from the various lodges on Amakhala. Aerial footage taken by the Reserve’s anti-poaching drones captured the crowd as they waved and cheered in celebration of 25 years of conservation and community efforts.

“Amakhala is built on three interdependent principles: conservation, community and profitable lodges, which can be illustrated by a three-legged African pot, with each leg equally important. Without one of those legs the pot will fall over,” comments Giles Gush, founding member.

 A New Wildlife Corridor

But the highlight of the festivities was the ribbon cutting ceremony on the old bridge over the Bushman’s River, marking the historic opening of an underpass beneath the N2 highway. Three sections of ribbon were cut by Matthew Hart (current chairman), Richard Gush (first chairman of the reserve) and Bill Fowlds, raconteur and one of the original farmers to conceptualise Amakhala as the magnificent game reserve it would become. As the ribbons fell away, the ground team dropped the last section of the fence dividing the northern and southern sections of Amakhala, creating a continuous wildlife area of over 9000 hectares.

“The opening of the corridor is a vital achievement in the larger land expansion plan,” says Andy Hughes, general manager of Amakhala. “Without this corridor those plans cannot become a reality. I feel that this will be a catalyst for further developments in expansion to take place in the not too distant future.”

Adding to this sentiment was Dr William Fowlds, renowned wildlife vet and founding member of Amakhala: “Amakhala’s working model of a communal reserve has been a resounding success. The vision is to expand a similar model into the greater landscapes, joining with other reserves into a mega-reserve stretching from Addo to the Fish River.”

The day’s festivities continued at the Sidbury Clubhouse with boerewors rolls, refreshments and plenty of cake. Each lodge’s chef baked for the occasion, in addition to a special Silver Jubilee cake that was so big it needed two hands to cut!

In his speech during the ribbon-cutting ceremony, chairman Matt Harts acknowledged the courage of the Amakhala family’s forebears and the promise of the next generation. The general feeling was that Amakhala Game Reserve – the place of many aloes – had taken a significant step forward on the road to the next 25 years of conservation and community in this historic corner of the Eastern Cape.

Written By Angela Barter