Markus Jebsen
Owner
Markus Jebsen, Founder and Executive Chairman of the MF Jebsen Group, with a diversified business portfolio in Hong Kong and China, is the owner and founder of Zingela Nature Reserves. Influenced by the South African Conservation Success Story, Markus understands the importance of sustainable and ethical Ecotourism as part of the overall conservation strategy benefiting the local communities and balancing the interests of various stakeholders.
Markus owns and operates numerous nature reserves and rewilding projects in Southern Africa as well as in Romania, Australia, Denmark and the USA. He is one of the founding board members of Foundation Conservation Carpathia (FCC) and has donated over 1,700 hectares of forest, alpine meadow and farmland to the FCC.
He is also a founding board member of the recently established Asia Pacific Advisory Board to African Parks. He supports numerous, other Grassroots Conservation organizations such as the Tsavo Trust, Kenya Wildlife Service, Giraffe Conservation Foundation and WWF.
We will dearly miss his passion for Nature and his vision, humour and generosity.
You can read more about Markus here.
The Team
General Manager
Dawie Vermeulen’s deep-rooted passion for the outdoors was ignited during his childhood on his family’s farm near Vaalwater, Limpopo. Immersed in nature from a young age, he developed a profound respect and love for wildlife and conservation.
Over the past decade, Dawie has honed his skills as a professional guide at Zingela Nature Reserve, demonstrating an exceptional ability to navigate diverse environments with both expertise and grace. His calm demeanour, coupled with his patience, has earned him a reputation as a guide who can excel in any situation, ensuring that clients feel safe, informed, and thoroughly immersed in their surroundings.
For the last six years, Dawie has been a vital part of Zingela Nature Reserve. His contributions have been instrumental in the company’s growth, from enhancing the guest experience to assisting in the development of the reserve. Recently promoted to General Manager, Dawie now oversees operations, bringing his extensive field experience and leadership skills to bear in guiding the team toward continued excellence. His intimate knowledge of the local terrain, combined with his unwavering commitment to quality, has made him an indispensable leader, deeply valued by colleagues and clients alike.
Frans Tau
Lodge-and-camp Supervisor and Chef
Frans Tau grew up in the Limpopo Province and has been working on the reserve for more than 12 years. Frans’s passion for the reserve, loyalty and positive attitude turned him into the Goal Orientated Supervisor that he is today. His cooking and hosting also did not go unnoticed, he was sent for further education as a chef by Zingela. His cooking will ensure that each client’s taste buds tingle with sensation whilst they enjoy marvellously African cuisine.
Joel Mphago
Supervisor
Joel also grew up in the Limpopo Province and has been working for the reserve for more than 10 years. His interest in nature, conservation and passion for people enabled him to become one of the leaders amongst the working team. His excellent animal and tracking knowledge makes him a brilliant bush guide.
Josef Ramadi
Maintenance Supervisor
Josef Ramadi grew up with Nico on their family farm in North West, where he gained many years of technical and maintenance experience. With Zingela Nature Reserve being located in a remote part of Southern Africa, having him as a maintenance team leader has been extremely beneficial to the reserve.