In recent years, Mankwe GAMETRACKERS supplied the “exclusive shuttle service” from Gauteng airports to the Rustenburg resort, but sold most of its fleet during the pandemic.
Ntiyiso Maluleke, the chief executive of Mankwe GAMETRACKERS, said: “We are members of the Greater Pilanesberg Tour Operators Association, along with about 35 other tour operators, and want to share our slice of the pie with the smaller players.
“How it works is that we take the bookings from Sun City, and then the association does the fulfilment between Lanseria and OR Tambo International airports and the resort.’’
In addition, Mankwe GAMETRACKERS offers safaris, adventure activities (including hot-air balloon rides, archery, and mountain biking), as well as team-building experiences.
Since the service-level agreement was signed in 2022, in September 602 guests were shuttled from Johannesburg to Sun City, as well as between surrounding accommodation establishments.
“Between December 2022 and mid-February, we had a total of 159 transfer bookings for 609 guests, so business has picked up,” Maluleke adds.
Patrick Nkwe, chairman of the association, said they were pleased and thankful for the agreement, and that it gave them the hope that had been taken away during the pandemic.
“This confidence gives us hope for what can be achieved when local small businesses and the community at large are given a chance to participate in the local economy,” he said.
“We hope that other players in the market will see this as a good example of how established operators in the industry can play a part in the development of small businesses.”
Sun City’s general manager, Brett Hoppé, said the agreement proved that through mutually beneficial partnerships much could be achieved for small businesses.
Read the latest issue of IOL Travel digital magazine here.