There is a shop-sized three door fridge, plus two additional fridges and two freezers, and three stoves: one electric, one gas, and one wood. The lodge has no liquor licence: so, please provide own liquor and soft drinks.

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• create employment opportunities for previously disadvantaged women and young school leavers living in what was previously known as Lebowa Tribal Trustland, now known as the northern part of the Limpopo Province, and to the west of the Blue Mountain;
• promote the traditional arts and crafts inherent in the communities, but which had become completely dormant due to lack of infra-structure, lack of funding and lack of market opportunities; and
• promote the restoration of craft art skills in this community and to enable more members of the community to become self-sufficient and less dependant on unemployment government grants and pensions.

The philosophy behind and the aim of MCADF:

In the northern part of the Limpopo Province of South Africa, between the Blue Mountain and Limpopo River, dinosaur footprints and archaeological findings are evidence of the rich and ancient history of this isolated area. This area is home to a tribal community of more than a million Pedi people.  The majority of them are women, children and retired men, who for their existence are primarily dependent on meagre state pensions or contributions from husbands and fathers who labour in cities or on farms.  Many of these people are illiterate and few of them still possess basic cultural productive skills to support themselves and their children. The area lacks employment opportunities and is largely undeveloped.

During 1994, the Mogalakwena Craft Art Development Foundation (MCADF) launched a program to support the economic and social upliftment of the local community and to reduce pressure to urbanise – training, involving and employing members of the local community. 

MCADF specializes in the training of multiple skills - embroidery, bead work, candle making, sewing, basket weaving, cement work, basic computer literacy, practical first aid courses, AIDS awareness and care, children’s art workshops and basic principles of cultural tourism.  

Its projects focus on and invest in the culture and development of the creative skills of members of the local community.  In the result, the local community benefits as a direct consequence of the Foundation's activities and in such a way MCADF has and encourages self-respect and dignity of members of this community. This craft art village is within walking distance from the adjacent villages.

The vision of MCADF is to train and/or employ a minimum of ten new craft artists per year. As a direct consequence of space limitations, only 26 people can presently be employed. Once The Craft Art Training and Development Centre has been completed, approximately 60 people can be trained and employed.

All construction work including the refurbishment of existing buildings have to date been performed by builders and trainees employed from the local community.

Greenhaus architect, Etienne Bruwer, has been commissioned to design and supervise the development of the Mogalakwena Craft Art Village. During construction experiments with a variety of traditional building techniques, as well as combining traditional with modern materials, are performed. The focus is also on the recycling of materials, e.g. using old discarded window frames in series instead of installing a large new frame. Interest has been received from overseas architects to become involved on a voluntary basis.   The development processes are documented for future research.

Brief chronology of what the MCADF has done and achievements during its 10 years of existence:

The foundation had humble beginnings in old farmhouse where unemployed people from the neighbouring Lebowa Tribal Trust Land were trained in a variety of craft art skills and their products sold to enable them to earn an income.

This training increased, continued, diversified and developed including life skills training, for example basic health and home care, first aid, AIDS care, basic literacy and communication skills as well as basic computer skills. The foundation's training became sustainable and resulted in people growing and becoming empowered.

The Foundation started its work with two part-time craft artists and now employs 26 people on a full-time basis.  A huge escalation in orders resulted after publication of the book, 'Craft Art in South Africa' published by Struik/New Holland Publishers and the Foundation was compelled to employ more people.

In 1999/2000 the foundation leased bigger premises and increased in personnel, employees, and its marketing activities to the UK, USA, France, Netherlands, Australia and Canada.

No financial sponsorship was applied for or received and during its ten years of existence it was independently and privately funded.  During 2003 Mogalakwena Craft Art Development Foundation was winner of the Nedbank/Mail and Guardian Cultural Project of the Year Award. Click here to read more about the MCADF’s achievements.

List of MCADF’s achievements to date:

• Exports on order;
• 2001: Participation at the World Summit on Sustainable Development;
• 2002: children from the nearby Modikwa Primary School in Radishaba Village attending a Children’s Art Workshop stencilled their designs on fabric that was sewn into a quilt and presented to Mr Nelson Mandela for his 84th birthday;
• Sparkling Zulu Lulu angels to New York International Gift Fair;
• 2003: National commission for Arabella Sheraton Grand Hotel in Cape Town - beaded and embroidered wall panels;
• March 2003: Cement basins created at the Foundation are featured in July 2003 issue of House and Leisure magazine (pages 148, 149), embroidery featured in Winter 2003 issue of VISI magazine (pages 29 and 166) as well as in Beeld newspaper of 8 March 2003;
• May 2003: Two works created during a Children’s Art Workshop were donated to The Solstice Foundation (www.solsticesa.org) and the proceeds of the auctioning thereof went towards Mama Murial’s Creché in Kyalitsha, Cape Town;
• 2003: Joint winner of Nedbank/Mail & Guardian Cultural Project of the Year Award;
• March 2004:The Foundation was commissioned by SOURCE Brand Interior Architects to create embroidered and beaded cushion covers and a crocheted lampshade for Design Indaba Exhibition held in Cape Town;
• 2004: MCADF featured at Citi Bank Philanthropic seminar in St Louis, USA;
• 2004: Products taken to Tennessee showcase by Trade and Investment Limpopo;
• 2004: Sparkling beaded angels (Zulu Lulus) to the International Folk Art Museum Shop, Sante Fe;
• 2004: Beaded sculptures and embroidered bed and table linen bought for the newly launched Mapungubwe World Heritage Site in the Vhembe Dongola Transfrontier Park - South Africa, Botswana, Zimbabwe;
• 2004: Zulu Mama chair weaving project in collaboration with furniture designer, Haldane Martin, Elle Decoration Designer of the Year. This project promises to develop and create significant job opportunities. A group of young male school leavers have been trained during November 2004;
• 15 - 18 November 2004: First Aid/AIDS Awareness Workshop in conjunction with  Anne Harriss - Reader in Educational Development; Anne Garvey - Deputy Dean; Nessie Brooks - senior lecturer in Occupational Health Nursing - all from London  South Bank University; and Edith Smith;
• December 2004: Five beaded and embroidered wall panels created for the newly launched Pezula Spa, Knysna, South Africa;
• 1 December 2004 - 28 January 2005: Solo Exhibition of Bead Art  - 'Images of Limpopo' at Polokwane Art Gallery,  Limpopo, South Africa;
• February 2005: Opening of The Artist's Retreat and Studio - a refined bush retreat in Africa for creative minds;
• 3 - 16 March 2005: We welcome our first group of 11 international artists to The Artist's Retreat and Studio;
• April 2005: SA Fashion Week workshop held at The Craft Art Village. 36 local craft artists working with SA designers and two lecturers from St Martin’s Design Academy, London;
• August 2005: MCADF exhibiting at Cultural History Museum, Potchefstroom;
• August 2005: Exhibited products at SA Fashion Week in Johannesburg and Cape Town
• August 2005:  Exhibited at 'One of a Kind' show during Decorex Exhibition at Gallagher Estate;
• Embroidered items for Tiger Brands new head office; and
• 1 December 2005–31 March 2006:  “SYNERGY – Contemporary Bead Art Exhibition”  at The South African National Gallery.

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The Mapungubwe National Park was previously known as Vhembe Dongola National Park. It is situated 60km west of Musina and about 230km from Polokwane, the capital town of Limpopo Province.

The park comprises the Mapungubwe Cultural Landscape and the Mapungubwe World Heritage Site. It is also located at the confluence of the Limpopo and Shashe Rivers.  Declared a National Heritage Site in December 2001, the park was listed as a World Heritage Site in July 2003. The Mapungubwe National Park covers an area that is well over 28 000 hectares.

The Mapungubwe National Park is positioned on the international borders of Botswana, Zimbabwe and South Africa. It is envisaged that the park will eventually form part of a Trans-Frontier Conservation Area shared by the three countries. It is the only geological defined cultural landscape in the region that includes a full set of successive stages in the early history of this area. Its nomination completes an historical triangle from Mapungubwe to Great Zimbabwe and Khami that continues to influence African society today.

International contacts with Islamic traders on the east coast, who were part of a larger Indian Ocean network, led to African gold and elephant ivory, as well as animal hides and hippo ivory, being worked and exchanged for glass beads and ceramics that derived from as far a field as the Indo-Pacific region, including India, Indonesia and China.
The park represents an area with exceptional cultural and natural values.

Over the years, it has retained the following values:

• Exhibition of vital interchange of human values, between 900 and 1300 AD in southern Africa - on developments in technology, and town planning.
• Exceptional testimony to a cultural tradition or to a civilisation which has disappeared from the Limpopo/Shashe area.
• An outstanding example of a type of architectural and technological ensemble and landscape which illustrates a significant stage in human history; and
• An outstanding example of a traditional human settlement and land-use which is representative of a culture that became vulnerable under the impact of irreversible change.

The Mapungubwe National Park landscape has outstanding botanical, ecological, geological and geomorphologic merit, with a range of vegetation types associated with the outcrop of cave sandstone, baobab trees, Karoo fossils and ancient rocks nearly three billion years old. It provides a sanctuary to endangered large mammals, such as the black and white rhinoceros, wild dog, and the continent's flagship species, the African elephant. The famous Golden Rhino along with artefacts, glass beads and pottery was unearthed from Mapungubwe National Park and is evidence of the capabilities of the people of that time in both mining as well as art.

Areas of special interest:

• Mapungubwe Hill:  visits to this very sensitive area can only be done with a guide. Enquire at reception;
• The Treetop Hide: always good for birds and sometimes game;
• The Confluence: see the three countries and where the Sashe and Limpopo rivers meet. Also see the ancient fossilized termite mounds to the south of the picnic area;
• The Tshugulu Eco Route:  a 4x4 is strongly recommended. This route covers 45km (4-6 hours) through some spectacular terrain and habitat. There is also a state-of-art game hide on this route. Enquire at reception;
• Maloutswa Pan: very good for game in the dry season, and for birds in the wet season; and
• Day walks: a qualified guide will take you for a walk in the bush. Enquire at reception. Walks depend on availability of guide.

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Mopane Bush Lodge (By Anita de Villiers):

The things some people get up to in their retirement are remarkable, a statement of true intrepidity, mixed with a dash of zesty abandon. When Paul and Rosemary Hatty decided to buy a 6 000 ha rather run-down farm in the most northern part of the Limpopo province, instead of a nice bush getaway near Kruger, their Johannesburg friends were… well, somewhat bemused.

“It was sort of a vague decision” is Paul’s bashful answer to the obvious question, to which rosemary laughingly adds that for a businessman he made some pretty vague decisions at the time. Paul admits that, for a production engineer that would normally not spend a penny before a solid bottom line is spelled out in terms of return on the investment, the project was a little 'topsy'. But eight years into their venture, the true engineer has resurfaced – the farm is now the factory building and the wildlife they have since stocked the farm with are the machines. But listening to their account of the first giraffe’s arrival on the farm is to hear a very unmechanistic, impassioned commitment to their farm, Mapesu Ranch.

In 1996, when the Hatty’s bought the farm, the consolidation of land for the development of a new National Park that would eventually be the core of a Transfrontier Conservation Area stretching into Botswana and Zimbabwe was a dream. Mapesu Ranch is adjacent to the newly opened Mapungubwe National Park and the World Heritage Site, and lies about seven kilometres south of the Limpopo River, where it forms the boundary with Zimbabwe. The rich findings at the Mapungubwe archaeological site had unearthed important new information about South Africa’s cultural history.

The Limpopo Valley is semi-arid land with an average annual rainfall of about 330mm and the sensitive veld is slow to recover from negative impacts. When the Hatty’s bought the farm, extreme degradation, erosion and bush encroachment were the sad legacy of overgrazing by cattle and goats. Except for a number of nifty old kudu bulls and the odd impala, most of the game on the farm has ended life as biltong. So, the rehabilitation of the farm was not your average retiree’s cup of English tea, except if they had a good dose of pioneering blood in their veins.

Paul’s roots are in Southern Rhodesia of old, where his father, Sir Cyril Hatty, was a member of parliament and cabinet minister during the 1950’s. Spanning three generations, the family’s Zimbabwean history reads like a Wilbur Smith novel. However, the good years and the times of trails and tribulations are not anecdotal. They have moulded a family whose endeavours articulate their heartfelt attachment to Africa.

The initial plans were to establish a safari-style camp on Mapesu, but of course the Hatty’s then decided to do something different. Out of their natural flair for drawing people into their warm circle of friendship crystallized the idea of a special place where friends and guests would be able to gather and 'kuier'. One thing led to another, so Paul started to pin down some conceptual ideas; their son Christopher found a site with a view; then their nephew Ray designed what he visualised as an African Renaissance style lodge, incorporating the ideas of traditional African living. A concentric design took shape with eight round, en-suite chalets, each with its own kraal stretching out, four on each side, from the central circular buildings and boma.

Under the guidance of Paul and his foreman, Jethro Moyo, construction of the lodge by a team of unskilled workers began early in 2001. Experts were brought in from nearby Musina or Pretoria for specialist work such as the high domed thatched roof of the lounge and dining room. As building proceeded, changes were made to accommodate their philosophy for the lodge. Experiencing the immense silence of the Bushveld weighed heavier than the convenience of having a kitchen near the boma, so the layout was switched around.  Wall and floor finishes underwent several processed to achieve their natural colours and textures while mopane poles of varying lengths shaped the perimeter of the kraals and the outside showers. Twisted mopane branches became beautiful door handles and ostrich eggs were transformed into bathroom lights. A long search for a potter who could interpret the colour, texture and designs of the thirteenth century pottery found at the Mapungubwe archaeological site, took them to the Waterfront in Randburg. These pots became the wall lights in the lounge, while pottery from Zimbabwe became the boma’s hanging lights. A pool and deck with a view over the sea of mopane was added and the lodge was completed just in time for the celestial event of 2001 that would put Musina on the world map.

Friends and family were invited for the big happening: Mopane Bush Lodge’s house-warming festivities and the eclipse. The first official booking came from a French couple who had travelled to many eclipses around the world. They wanted assurance of a hundred percent visibility of the eclipse, so the search was on for the best spot for the event. All astronomical pointers indicated a specific hill in Mapungubwe Park, where they would celebrate the event with a champagne breakfast. But the French, being French, said, “Non, non, you cannot call this champagne, only the French can make the champagne!” But, says Rosemary, 'Cap Classique breakfast' just doesn’t sound right. Tasting the bubbly, the Franchman held his glass to the post-eclipse light and produced the final verdict. “Mais oui, this is truly champagne!”  

Many interesting guests and memorable occasions have since been recorded in the visitor’s book. Asking about the activities on offer, Paul enthusiastically explains the latest machine in his Mopane Lodge Factory: the Mapungubwe Route. Co-operating with the National Park, a number of establishments have grouped together to promote the variety of accommodation and activities on offer in the area. To name but a few, tracking wild dog in the Venetia Limpopo Nature Reserve; birding in one of South Africa’s best birding areas, walking or cycling the Baobabwe Peace Trail; lunching on succulent crocodile steak at Ratho Crocodile Farm; or immersing oneself in an authentic wilderness experience with Šêbê- Šêbê Wilderness trails. However, says Rosemary, the main idea at Mopane Lodge is just to chill out: to relax and read, enjoy good food and a lovely boma dinner while gazing at the incredible dome of stars and taking leisurely game drives or walks.

Walking along with Paul is to be introduced to the Bushveld through the eyes of a keen observer. He points out spoor of impala, eland, red hartebeest, hyena, and caracal, while relating interesting information about the flora. Most of Mapesu is covered by Mopane, interspersed with Sesame Bush and several varieties of acacia like the endemic Vlei Thorn. The Mopane trees are excellent fodder for most of the game on the farm. In winter, the butterfly-shaped leaves with their prominent veins turn all shades of orange and rust, before dropping to form a mound of nutrition at the foot of each tree. Paul points out the miniscule black droppings of the Mopane worm that also assist in sustaining the trees.
Understanding how the lifecycle of the Mopane worms dovetails into the seasonal rhythms of the trees, brings home the realisation of how infinitely fine the balance of nature is. But to experience this, one must be willing to stand still, to observe and to listen.

Rosemary’s reply to what is special about Mapesu says in words what a million images cannot capture. “It is the peace and tranquillity, the vastness of the bush and the endless dome of the sky. I feel the wonder of creation and an awareness of man’s proper place in the greater scheme of things. It feeds your soul”.

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• Tented Camp:  This camp is situated on the banks of the Limpopo River, under the shade of a huge Nyala Berry tree and can accommodate up to twelve people;
• Mopani Camp:  Situated high on a sandstone hill, overlooking the indigenous mopani veld (bush), this camp lets you experience sunsets over the Limpopo Valley; and
• Ana Tree and 4x4 Camps:  For the adventurous camping enthusiasts. This camp is situated on the bank of the Limpopo River and has very limited facilities. Own camping equipment required.

Ratho also has an operational crocodile farm. On average, there are 4 000 - 5000 crocodiles on the Rakwena croc farm. While crocodile skins are exported mainly to Europe and the East, the meat of the crocodile is a delicacy and is also exported. They also have a very rare 'White Crocodile' on the farm

They have a Croc Shop where croc meat and hand made crocodile and other leather items are sold.

The following activities are available:

•     Crocodile tours;
•     Bird-watching;
•     Game viewing, including night drives;
•     4x4 routes; and
•     Insight into game farming.

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