FAQ s

Who owns Mkambati Nature Reserve?

The Mkambati Nature Reserve (also known as Mkhambathi) is a fully proclaimed Eastern Cape provincial game reserve. The land is owned by the Mkambati Land Trust, a trust that represents the neighbouring rural community of around 6,600 households who live about 20km inland from the reserve. This community was evicted from their land in the 1920s and under South African Government’s land restitution process, have been awarded the land back by the State and are now the title owners of the land. The Eastern Cape Parks and Tourism Authority (ECPTA) are the mandated organisation to provide the management and conservation expertise.

What is the Mkambati concession?

Mkambati Nature Reserve is around 7,400 hectares in size with 12km of coastline. The reserve is divided into two areas – the public area in the south around the Msikaba River and a northern area, which area has been granted to Mkambati Matters (Pty) Ltd in terms of a long lease (the concession). This concession allows for the development of a beach lodge up to 30 beds, and ten villas and is for the use of guests staying at either the beach lodge or in the villas. Mkambati Matters will assign the lease right to each villa site to persons desiring to build their villa in the concession.

Who will develop the beach lodge and villas?

Mkambati Matters, as the lessee, is the development company. Their project team is headed up by Colin Bell, Keith Stannard, Axel Schwarzer and Zuko Kubukeli who have combined decades of experience in developing tourism lodges and hotels throughout Africa. Mkambati Matters will manage the development of the concession and erect the beach lodge while each villa lessee will develop their villa on their villa site, according to the terms of their lease and the architectural, development and environmental guidelines.

Mkambati’s climate and wildlife

The Mkambati lies at the heart of the Pondoland Centre of Endemism and home to many floral and other species that occur nowhere else in the world. Mkambati offers a pleasant, warm climate year-round. There is no malaria. The reserve is not a “Big 5” reserve, so there is no dangerous wildlife and is therefore an ideal destination for families and outdoor activities – boating, walking, cycling, canoeing, kayaking etc. The wildlife within the reserve includes eland, zebra, blesbok, wildebeest, hartebeest, and other small game. In time, it would be an aim to be able to expand the biodiversity of the reserve with species that are no longer there, which may lead to oribi, southern reed buck, and maybe even white rhino being re-introduced into the interior of the reserve. Besides guests and staff, Mkambati is completely uninhabited.

Access to Mkambati

Access to Mkambati is either by air, road, helicopter or boat. The reserve has a 1,500-metre grass runway that is suitable for a Pilatus PC12, Cessna Caravan and certain King Airs. When the lodge opens, the aim is to run weekly scheduled flights from Johannesburg and Durban to Mkambati subject to demand. Alternatively, it is an interesting and beautiful hour and a half helicopter flight from Durban along the coastline or a quick 20-minute helicopter flight from Margate. The drive from Durban is around 350 km on mostly tarred roads up until the last 35 km. The new N2 highway is under construction close to Mkambati, making road access even easier and quicker when that opens in the future. The more adventurous and fun option is an hour and 15 minutes boat trip out to sea from Port Edward to Mkambati.

Where are the villas located?

The villas sites on the coastline and/or lagoon in an area of the concession known as GweGwe, and adjacent to the beach lodge. Villa investors can select their preferred site depending upon availability.

How large is each villa and each parcel of land on which

the villa is situated?

The standard villas are approximately 500 m2 in size and are located on over a hectare of prime coastal land. These villas can be increased or decreased in extent (within reason) to suit individual needs, preferences and finances. The standard luxury villa design has four ensuite bedrooms, a lounge, dining room, kitchen, stores, garage and its own swimming pool with three and five bedroomed options available.

How long

is the lease on the villas?

The total overall lease period is to December 2089 via an assignment of rights, directly with The Mkambati Land Trust. The lease is made up of two stages, the first period until 2068 and a further 21 years extension which can be triggered immediately taking it to December 2089 upon payment of a fee. The lease for each villa is registered against the title deed of the mother erf, being Mkambati Land Trust title deed.

How do I secure a villa?

Mkambati Matters will assign/transfer to you the right to lease the villa site and build the villa in terms of an assignment of lease agreement, against payment of the cost of assignment.

How secure is your lease?

The concession negotiations were conducted under the guidance and close scrutiny of a team of experienced transaction advisors that included Webber Wentzel, a respected law firm in Johannesburg. After a lengthy process, the legal contract and terms between the community’s Trust, the Eastern Cape Parks and Mkambati Matters was agreed upon. Contracts were drawn up by Webber Wentzel and signed by all parties, including the Eastern Cape Government (represented by the MEC) and the Mkambati Land Trust who are the legal owners of the reserve. The Lessee’s rights to their villa and their land are secure as the lease for each villa will be between the lessee and the Mkambati Land Trust, which is registered in the Deeds Office against the mother erf’s title deed.

Can I syndicate a villa?

Yes – with a maximum of 12 members in the syndicate, subject to all members abiding to the constitution of the Mkambati Lodge and Villa Association via a nominated single representative of a legal entity (company/trust/ etc) which holds the lease rights for the villa.

How are the levies calculated?

Each villa lessee will automatically become a voting member of the Mkambati Lodge & Villa Association (MLVA) – the entity that will be set up to govern relationships between the lodge and all the villa owners. The MLVA will be the entity that will address the infrastructure, security, maintenance and other work in and around the development. Each villa will be liable for a monthly levy that will be 7.27% of the total costs incurred by the MLVA.

Is there a park / concession fee?

For the purpose of conservation, community and the reserve, all visitors will pay a fair and reasonable market related park / concession fee per person per night to Mkambati Matters. The fee secures funds that are crucial for protecting and expanding the wildlife habitat, supporting rural communities as well as managing the reserve and concession.

Is there a rental pool?

There is a rental pool in which all villas are included. Your villa can be rented out by Mkambati Matters through the beach lodge at an agreed set fee per night, adjusted for seasons and occupancies.

How are the beach lodge and villas marketed and managed?

Mkambati Matters will conclude a marketing and management agreement between the beach lodge and the villas in terms of which they will market and manage these properties.

Can I rent out my villa privately?

Villas can be marketed independently by the villa owner at an agreed retail and nett price, provided the villa booking is made through the Mkambati Matter’s reservation system at a preagreed commission.

How does the rental pool work?

The beach lodge will pay each villa a negotiated and agreed flat rental rate per night that will vary according to time of year and occupancies. To this base rental fee, the beach lodge will add the cost of food, drinks, amenities, FF&E reserve (furniture, fittings & equipment), activities, staff costs, booking fees, travel agent’s commissions, VAT etc, together with a fair mark-up to arrive at a retail selling price for your villa per night. The FF&E fund will be around 5% of nett revenue which will be spent on minor breakages, routine repairs and routine maintenance.

Does a lessee have to be on site with their guests?

No. The owner can send his guests to their villa unaccompanied so long as the owner remains responsible for their conduct and the occupants abide all rules and regulations.

How is villa maintenance done?

The beach lodge will offer a full villa maintenance service that villa owners may elect to use at agreed upon fees.

How does access into and around the reserve work?

Normal saloon cars can drive all the way to the beach lodge and villas. Access to the northern part of the concession area and its attractions further north of GweGwe within Mkambati like the Mtentu River, North Beach etc can only be accessed by 4×4 vehicles that have ample clearance. Guests may book the use of a beach lodge game drive vehicle (subject to availability) or their own 4×4 on the reserve provided there is no offroad driving. Traversing the northern concession area and the reserve is subject to conduct rules. Hikers and cyclists who are traversing the Wild Coast will be transiting the concession on an interesting route that takes them away from the beach lodge and villas.

Who are the design team, architect and interiors?

Lisa Rorich is the architect and Kate Moffatt is the interiors person. Both Lisa and Kate are well experienced in the hospitality industry with many prestigious lodges to their credit including for Lisa:- Singita’s Faru Faru Lodge in the Serengeti and Desroches Island Lodge’s phase II villas and Singita’s Sabora for Kate.

Villa lessees are welcome to bring in their own professional team who must work with the MLVA’s professionals and comply with the development guidelines.

How do the villas and the beach lodge get their electricity?

We do not want to scar the pristine rolling grasslands with electricity pylons. Each villa will therefore be required to have its own independent standalone off-grid 220V electricity generating and storage systems via unobtrusive solar panels backed up by an energy efficient silent generator.

How do the villas and the beach lodge get their hot and cold water?

Fresh clean water will be pumped from a weir and borehole nearby and will be filtered so it offers clean potable water to the villas and the beach lodge. Water consumption in the villas will be metered and charged at normal market related tariffs. Hot water will be provided by an energy efficient and effective thermodynamic water heating system.

How is our grey water processed?

The villas and beach lodge will have their own modern, efficient grey water and sewerage biofiltration processing plants to ensure that we do not pollute the environment. Where it is possible and viable, grey water systems may be shared with neighbouring villas. The wastewater treatment systems will comply with strict Government and environmental regulations.

Where will villa guests buy their provisions for their villa stay?

Villa guests can choose to eat in their villas or in the lodge subject to availability. They can either bring their own provisions, or alternatively order these in advance through the beach lodge. The beach lodge will then purchase and stock the villa and fridge ahead of arrival. The plan is to create a community-owned organic vegetable farm in the community lands surrounding the reserve that will supply fresh vegetables to the beach lodge and the villas and will also assist the community with an alternative source of revenue. The ultimate objective is to support local suppliers wherever possible. Other bulk and dry goods stocks will be transported in and stored in the beach lodge’s bulk storerooms near the main entrance gate to the reserve.

How do I get to see the villa sites?

The best way to fly into the reserve at present is by helicopter from either Durban or Margate; by boat from Port Edward (around 75 minutes boating away) or by Pilatus PC 12 direct from Johannesburg. The helicopter flight offers the additional advantage of seeing and experiencing much of Mkambati Reserve in a relatively short space of time and much of the surrounding countryside. If you buy a villa, then the costs of that helicopter flight will be deducted from the purchase price of your villa.

Compliance

The required environmental authorisation has been obtained for the project and building plans have been approved by the Local Municipality.