Ezemvelo Wildlife have really" gone down the drain"

We live in Pietermaritzberg and visit Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife resorts often.

Late year we booked at the Head Office in Pietermaritzberg for a chalet for 4 people at Hilltops Camp. The booking was made and paid for months before the date we were due to arrive and we booked a specific chalet that we had stayed in before. All was confirmed but when we arrived at Hilltops, not only was our specific chalet not booked but they had no booking for us at all. As we were travelling with family from overseas this was particularly embarrassing. Eventually they managed to find us a rear facing chalet for on night and then had to move to a front facing chalet the next day. Moving at the age of 70 is not that easy.

To make matters worse a week later we were phoned by Hilltops asking us when we were going to arrive. We explained that we had already been and there bookings were exactly one week out.

We have just returned from a nightmare trip to Mantana camp at Mkhuzi . We booked a Safari tent, also that we had stayed in before. This time the booking was correct but there was no braai, the fan did not work, as did the kettle and the stove was falling to pieces. Also the zips on the canvas did not work. The thatch on the chalets was falling to pieces and the pool was a total disaster covered in black mold. The whole pool area was in total disrepair. In addition their card machines were not working and so it had to be cash payments.

After 3 days there with a total loss of any large game, no rhino's, we asked to be moved to a safari tent at Mpila camp at iMfolozi. When we arrived at this tent the tent was filthy dirty and again the fan did not work or the zips on the canvas flaps. After about 2 hours I managed to fix the zips, only some Q20 and a bit of hard work, and the fan was replaced. Why could the KZN staff not fix the zips. This camp is totally unfenced with many Hyenas and quite a few lions.

Living in Pietermaritzberg we often visit Midmar dam. In recent years there has been a steady decline in the state of the resort, but now 2 of the 3 campsites have been closed and the facilities are falling to pieces owing to lack of maintenance. Interesting to note that the campsites were closed during peak periods like Christmas and the Midmar Mile when income could have been generated.

All the above reported to Ezemvelo but as expected no response