The Karkloof Country Club and trails have become one of the top nature-based tourism attractions on the famed Midlands Meander route. Mountain biking, trail running and more recently hiking have grown immensely in popularity. The Club as it is fondly called by members and visitors is a hive of activity on weekends and even certain weekdays. The car park is full and a scene of healthy activities, people enjoying the deck, the Café and Bar, bike shop and the kids pump track can be witnessed.
Paid partnership with Sappi
The growth of the venue and popularity of the trails is illustrated by the growth in membership and visitor numbers as can be seen in the table below.
With the support of partners such as Sappi, the Club has become a fantastic success story and now employs 18 full-time and 2 part-time staff, mostly at the Café and Bar, and on the trails.
In this article we would like to put the spotlight onto one of the Club’s star performers and favourite personalities. Sthembile, or Sthe as she likes to be called, was employed on a full-time basis in April 2022 as the Front of House Manager. Her enthusiasm, hard work ethic and leadership skills meant she only took nine months to progress to the position of Assistant Manager of the Club.
Of course, this was not without challenges which Sthe says, “helped her grow – confidence wise and in terms of problem-solving ability’’. She now manages seven staff and she loves leading. When asked how she motivates her team Sthe said, ‘’Every Friday we have a morning chat and talk openly and honestly about any issues the team members are facing. It’s important to be honest and to be a good listener. I also believe firmly in practising what you preach. I love people and I love serving. If you love your job it will love you back!’’
Sthe is very happy working at the Club and she explained, ‘’I want to grow into my position and hopefully do further training to improve my skills and qualifications. I’m also keen jogger and I enjoy going for runs on the Karkloof trails when time allows. I’m also aware that the trails and the services offered at the Club, e.g. the Café are complimentary to one another. More trail users mean more customers.”
Sappi is immensely proud of Sthe and we look forward to seeing her continue to thrive in the beautiful Karkloof valley at the Karkloof Country Club.
