Risuna Mathebula has only just joined the permanent staff at Tanda Tula Safari Camp,but her history with this camp goes back many years and she has a deeply meaningful connection to this place and the people that work here.
Risumna’s father, Elmon, worked here over twenty years ago, but sadly he passed away and Risuna was left fatherless at a very young age. Elmon’s association with Tanda Tula and friendship with so many of the people who still work here today is the reason for Risuna automatically feeling connected to this camp. She feels that his spirit lives on at Tanda Tula through the people as well as through the beautiful surrounding environment and when she is here, she feels close to the father she lost too soon. It was never a question of where Risuna would end up working once she had finished her schooling and luckily she also has other members of her family who are working in the camp.
After two years working as a temp, doing a variety of jobs in and around the camp, she is now training for the front of house position. She has had to perform a number of new tasks in order to learn all the skills associated with this job such as office work, computer literacy as well as running the bar and curio shop. Each task has been met with equal enthusiasm and enjoyment, although she has a preference for computer work. Risuna has a bright, beautiful smile and her confidence with the guests and her new job is growing each day which is incredibly inspiring to see.