About Us
Batiki Game Breeders was formed in 2014 with a view of enabling like-minded individuals the opportunity to invest in the South African game breeding industry. All the existing shareholders are current or ex SABMiller executives and their families. Our shareholders all share a passion for wildlife and game breeding and hope to contribute to the conservation legacy of South Africa.
The Batiki Game Farm is situated 15 Kms from Gravelotte in the Limpopo Province. The farm covers 1500 Ha of which 500 Ha has been set aside and prepared for Breeding Operations. The balance is being developed into a Nature Reserve and includes a Lodge and a Campsite.
We currently breed a number of different species, some classics, like Sable, Kudu, Nyala, Impala, Wildebeest and Bushbuck and we strive to create the environment where Game Breeding and Conservation work hand-in-hand.
We subscribe to progressive management and ecological practices and strive to create a self-sustaining farm for future generations of South Africans. With this in mind, we are currently bush clearing large areas, reseeding barren areas, developing pastures for feed and recycling to reduce our carbon footprint.
Our Shareholders
Alistair Hewitt
Ally has worked in the beer business in excess of 30 years – with a passion for marketing and commercial operations. He is currently the Director of Global Brands across Africa with ABINBev. Ally is the founding member of the Boucher Legacy program and is currently working with Mark Boucher supporting SANParks and Onderstepoort on the Rhodes DNA profiling program for Rhino. Beer, Sport & Conservation is what drives him.
Vincent & Kgomotso Maphai
Vincent is a retired academic and business executive who has taught at Tertiary institutions in South Africa and abroad for over two decades. He was director of The South African Breweries and chairman of BHP Billiton. He now serves on a select number of company boards and Trusts. Kgomotso is an Honours Marketing Graduate and manages the Family Game Breeding interests. After 15 years in various strategic management roles in telecommunications, he left to pursue his passion in the wildlife industry.
Garth Saunders & Mandy Rossouw
Garth was with SABMiller for more than 30 years, spending time both locally and internationally in Senior Executive roles. He retired in 2017 and returned to South Africa to run the farm. Garth and Mandy live on the Farm, Garth is the Batiki MD and Mandy manages the Admin, staff and lodge. Both Garth and Mandy have always had a strong interest in Nature and Nature Conservation and they see this as their opportunity to leave a lasting legacy for future South Africans.
Mark John Bowman
Like most shareholders at Batiki, Mark spent most of his career with SABMiller in various operational roles. He ended in late 2016 as Managing Director of Africa. Whilst still a novice in game breeding, he has a lifelong interest in wildlife and nature –expressed mostly through travel and photography, and more recently through his association with Batiki.
Ian Penhale
Ian worked for SABMiller for more than 20 years in Executive Marketing roles, both locally and internationally. He is currently a Director of Batiki Game Breeders and is an avid lover of wildlife, game breeding & conservation. Ian is also a director of Olifants River Game Reserve.
Cliff Raphiri
Cliff retired from SABMiller in 2017, having spent many years in senior executive Manufacturing and Technical roles. He is an avid golfer, who enjoys spending time in the bush (not the rough)!
Wayne McCauley
Wayne spent many years in executive roles in SAB Miller’s Sales and Commercial operations. He is currently Chief Operations Officer for Blue Label Distribution. Wayne holds B Com and MBL degrees. His interest in game farming stems from opportunity and uniqueness of this new and exciting industry, which has so much potential for growth as the globe consolidates and exposure to global industry and tourism increases. Wayne has always had a keen interest in wildlife and game.
Velaphi Ratshifola
Velaphi started his career in SABMiller and was transferred to head up the Coca Cola Bottling Operations for South Africa. He is a stud Simmentaler Cattle farmer and a cattle feedlot operator who takes Community development seriously in Vredefort, Free State. With his strong farming background, he has over a long time developed interest in Game Breeding.
Steve Bluen
Steve has always had a love of wildlife, spending much of his free time camping in game parks with his wife Vanessa. So, when the opportunity came up to get involved in Batiki he seized it. He spent 17 years with SABMiller in executive HR roles before returning to academia, first as professor of HR at GIBS, then to head up Wits Business School. He now consults to companies in the field of Human Resources.