At the (very) successful recent AGM held at the lovely PheZulu Safari Park, a new board of directors was voted on and are now working hard to promote the Valley of a 1000 Hills. We here at the office thought it would a great idea to introduce them to you all and so, meet your new directors for 2025/2026.
List of Directors
- Carl de Heer
- Bradley Raath
- Mbulelo Joseph Dlamini (Joe)
- Jen Gregory
1. Carl De Heer
2025 is Carl’s second term as Chairperson. He previously served as Marketing Director, which now falls within his ambit as Chairperson.
Carl’s is involved in video production. His business, On Show Media in Hillcrest, has produced many 1000 Hills CTO promotional videos.
“I’m passionate about the area- the district, the valley and its beauty, its heritage andcommunity culture. Our offering is unique, specifically in terms of its Zulu culture, and is far different from any other CTO‘s offering. It goes beyond traditional dance performances, or cuisine, in a truly immersive way which a lot of South Africans haven’t discovered. I think rural and township tourism- the kind we have in the Valley of 1000 Hills- is a big drawcard that needs to be leveraged and promoted” says Carl.
Regarding plans and priorities for the CTO He adds “We have to grow our membership, which is not just a case of growing member numbers but helping new and existing members to grow their businesses- we’ll drive people to the area and it is up to them to market their businesses. It really is necessary in growing our region.”
2. Bradley Raath
Owner of The Potting Shed Nursery adjacent to the Pot and Kettle in Botha’s Hill, and Chairman of South African Nursery Association, KZN Region, Brad has been involved with 1000 Hills Tourism since 2010. Whether at his nursery, or at his Shongweni Farmers & Craft Market stall, or 1000 Hills events and trade shows, Brad is a perennial face.
“The 1000 Hills Tourism area, which stretches from Kloof to Cato Ridge and Shongweni Dam to Inanda Dam, is one of the biggest areas falling under Durban Tourism and boasts a large variety of places to visit, eat and stay” Brad says. “I have been passionate about drawing visitors and tourists to the area to spend time and get to know our members with the intention of getting them to return on a regular basis. Our members rely on the income from visitors to keep the venues running and improvements going forward. The more the members prosper the more they can employ locals to the benefit of all in the area. We are working on projects and events to improve sustainability in both food resources and infrastructure. I would encourage those that have not visited the area before to take a drive through and stop in at as many venues as they can and join the 1000 Hills family and support our growth.”
3. Mbulelo Joseph Dlamini (Joe)
With over 20 years’ experience as auditor and accountant, Joe, of MJS Management Consulting, acted as Treasurer last year too.
Joe owns luxurious Inn Afrika B&B and Guesthouse in Kloof and, as a longstanding 1000 Hills CTO member, is very passionate about tourism- and the 1000 Hills area in particular. “Apart from the beauty and many offerings, we are the only CTO that has three very attractive marathons- Comrades, Duzi and Amashova- that all pass through the area” he says.
Asked about his hopes, plans and priorities for the 1000 Hills CTO this year, Joe responds “One: to develop a better footprint, expand – be known within and without the eThekweni community. Two: my goal is to expand the CTO through collaboration with other CTOs- some cross pollination that benefits all. Three: we need to go to other provinces to market the CTO.”
4. Jen Gregory
Owner of Rooms with a View, on the crest of Crestview, Jen has served on the 1000 Hills CTO committee since pre- COVID days. She is interested and involved in community development and youth and childhood development. “Community in an eco sense too” Jen says. “I am very interested in indigenous flora and my interest has always been eco-tourism. Also waste management- I’m aiming for a reduction in that. I have worked a lot with Kloof Conservancy on developing and maintaining the trails in both lower and upper Molweni.”
Jen works with NGOs in 1000 Hills and she is “absolutely passionate about the arts in the area, particularly pottery and ceramics. Carl Roberts, Andrew Walford and Studio 3 run by Anne Schultz are three that spring to mind”. She is, of course, passionate about the area too. “It’s an accessible and viable alternative to, for example, the Drakensberg or other places in KwaZulu-Natal. First of all, it’s beautiful and there are so many things to do without going far- just a stone’s throw from Durban. We also have a lot of birdlife (I’m crazy about birds), wonderful, friendly people and marvellous places to eat. What more do you want?”
Jen hopes for better cohesion within the Valley of 1000 Hills CTO this year- “Better development in my interest areas, and just generally. I would also like to see 1000 Hills office sharpened up, with better visibility from the municipality” she adds.
Thank you to the directors who are passionate about tourism in the Valley of a 1000 Hills and who are quite honestly taking on a thankless task! The directors meet on a monthly basis, either in person or online and of course, members are free to sit in on a meeting to learn more about what it takes to serve on the non-profit and to offer their suggestions and advice!
Looking forward to what this amazing team can achieve in this next year.