DI Staff

The construction of the Mont’Dor Orpen Lodge, a stone’s throw away from the world icon, the Kruger National Park, was completed after decades of negotiations between the local community leaders, the Industrial Development Corporation of South Africa Ltd (IDC), cooperatives and the private sector.

South Africa’s Deputy Tourism Minister Fish Amos Mahlalela described the opening of the lodge as a ‘milestone’ after long negotiations and it will benefit the community.

“The project is a very special project, it is located in a very strategic place, near the Orpen Gate of the Kruger National Park. It will be a huge project to draw as many tourists as possible. This lodge belongs to the community, something that you never had. Tourists will enjoy cultural activities in this lodge and they will have enough time to enjoy all the facilities.” Minister Mahlalela added.

Stephen Nel from IDC detailed that how the Lodge was finally completed.

“We were approached by Indalo Inclusive about three years ago, they were involved in Wild Olive Tree Camp next door. We then identified the opportunity to work with the cooperative to get permission to occupy on this piece of land to see if we cannot do a bigger project, big investment. So we then came across the Mont’Dor Clarence Group who signed a joint venture with the cooperative where the cooperative has 51% shareholding and Mont’Dor Clarence has 49%. There were ten unfinished chalets that were built by the National Department of Tourism ten years ago, so we then decided to refurbish those chalets, and build this facility as Phase 1 to get the business going, to get it into the market.”

“The IDC invested money, Mont’Dor Clarence also put money into the game and we then applied for a long term lease from the Department of Rural Development, which was granted to us end of last year, a 30 year lease, which now enables a bigger development, adding more rooms. So yes, as mentioned it’s one of the biggest partnerships where all spheres of government departments were involved, Department of Rural Development, Department of Tourism, cooperatives and IDC as a state owned funding entity. So yes that’s where we are now and obviously within IDC’s mandate of job creation, creating the much needed jobs in the marginalized communities and ownership of assets and opportunities,”Nel said.

Representatives from Bushbuckridge local municipality, the Mnisi Tribal Authority, Mont’Dor Orpen, National Department of Tourism were at the opening of the lodge. The local community members gave an astounding performance during the opening and guests were taken on a tour to see chalets which were decorated with traditional African arts and furniture.