WATCH: Skukuza golf course gets some new ‘players’

Jean Rossouw, Skukuza Golf Club course superintendent, otherwise known as the greenkeeper, has had some interesting “golf player” sightings since the lockdown started.

“While many around the world have documented the return of wildlife to normally human occupied spaces during this lockdown, my experience while conducting my day-to-day duties on the golf course has been similar.

“Once people vacated the space, the lush lawns and waterways provided by the course served as a perfect playground for a wealth of animals.

“While working and doing my duties, I have been fortunate to come across some truly breathtaking animal sightings. I have witnessed lions, herds of zebras (usually too shy to come to the course to drink), rare antelopes and even the odd wild-dog pack visiting the course.”

He said, “the past few weeks have been hard work, doing maintenance work on the infrastructure of the golf course, and keeping it green and healthy while all my colleagues are under lockdown with their families. This lock down is for our own good, to break the cycle of Covid-19 viral transmission.”

“I have been watering the golf course manually and mowing the greens and tee boxes a few times a week, just to keep the grass from getting too thick.”

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According to Rossouw these are essential day-to-day maintenance tasks that need to be done to ensure that the course stays healthy and does not deteriorate, so that it can reopen once the lockdown is over.

Rossouw also added that during the national lockdown period, SANParks remained closed to all visitors, and staff living in the parks were following strict lockdown guidelines.

“We are also ensuring that only essential duties are taking place in our national parks, to ensure that these wild places we all treasure are protected and maintained, so that visitors can return soon to see first-hand some of these spectacular animal sightings.”