Collen Sibuyi from Singita Game Reserves walked away with the coveted SA Emerging Tourist Guide of the Year Award for 2009/2010 that was announced at INDABA in Durban earlier this month (May 2010). He was the only individual to be singled out as a winner across the nine categories of this year’s Welcome Awards, sponsored by First National Bank (FNB) Commercial.

25 Year old Sibuyi was commended by the Deputy Minister of Tourism, Ms Thokozile Xasa for representing the pinnacle of service excellence in the tourism industry and making service delivery a top priority, which, she reiterated, has a direct impact on South Africa’s reputation to deliver a world class tourism experience.

Currently working at Singita Lebombo as a Field Guide in Singita’s private concession within the Kruger National Park, Sibuyi grew up on a neighbouring property of the Singita Sabi Sand, where his father was the farm manager. Taught basic tracking skills by his father, he became fascinated with the behaviour of animals and their interaction with the surrounding environment from a young age. It was here that he came to realize his love for the bush, and set out to carve a career out of it.

After he matriculated, Sibuyi first worked as a maintenance assistant at another lodge, where he saved up enough money to put himself through a guiding course. In 2006 he was accepted as trainee tracker at the Singita Field Guide and Tracker Training Academy in the Sabi Sand Private Game Reserve. Singita is one of only three lodges in South Africa to have attained Gold status in the Field Guides Association of Southern Africa’s (FGASA) lodge grading system. Course subject matter ranges from all aspects of flora, fauna, and ethology (the study of animal behaviour), to a guide’s ability to host, entertain, understand and deal with people – all vital components of the role of Field Guide or Tracker. Weapon-handling, first aid, and a wine course to a certification level by the Cape Wine Academy also form part of the training course, with practical assessments that include Astronomy (Game Drive and Telescope), Tracking and Shooting, as well as Game Drive and Game Walk assessments to cover all areas of field guiding.

From here Sibuyi’s career took off as he first qualified as Tracker, and later as Field Guide, all in the short space of only four years. Today he is one of 46 qualified Field Guides and 27 Trackers employed by Singita Game Reserves, who provide exceptional services to complement what has been cited as ‘some of the very best game viewing on earth’.

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