A collection of prime, new stands was recently released at Mjejane Game Reserve in Mpumalanga which should appeal greatly to those seeking an authentic slice of the bush.
Situated on the banks of the Crocodile River and incorporated into the southern boundary of the Kruger National Park, Mjejane came about following the finalisation of the largest land claim ever to occur within Mpumalanga’s boundaries. Through the settlement, the Lugedlane community - which was forcibly removed from the area between 1926 and 1953 – was awarded the land which measures just over 3800 hectares.
The community originally intended to farm the property and construct houses. However, given the relatively poor quality of the soil and prevalence of wildlife diseases in the area, this notion was abandoned and a solution on how best to utilise the land in line with the conservation objectives of the Kruger National Park was sought.
Following negotiations, Lugedlane Developments (a joint venture company established by the Mjejane Trust) entered into an agreement with veteran eco-tourism developers ‘Safrican’, resulting in the establishment of Mjejane as a ‘Big 5’ game reserve and eco-friendly leisure and property development destination. Importantly, in line with the agreement, the Lugedlane community is benefitting directly from the sale of the stands and shared ownership options offered. A number of community members are also being employed at Mjejane in various roles ranging from game rangers to construction workers.
Mjejane lies just four hours from JHB and 45 minutes away from the Kruger Mpumalanga International Airport. Three major golf courses, a number of shops, medical facilities and petrol stations also lie within close proximity of the reserve. A number of amenities have already been established at Mjejane including the 11 bedroom Mjejane River Lodge and a number of luxurious shared ownership river lodges.
Arguably one of the main draw cards working in Mjejane’s favour is its uninhibited access to ten kilometres of the Crocodile River. Another key plus point working in Mjejane’s favour is the fact that it will enjoy limited direct access to the Kruger National Park via an exclusive, low water bridge which is currently under construction. Other ‘pluses’ include game drives, game viewing hides and an exclusive fenced wilderness area which has been stocked with non-predator type game allowing those interested the opportunity to walk, jog, mountain bike or ride horses in safety.
Interested parties can take advantage of a number of investment options ranging across Mjejane’s expansive development nodes of which there are five. The latest stands to be promoted fall under portion one and two and are available on full ownership terms.
Located along Mjejane’s riverfront, portion one stands measure approximately 2400m² on average and are currently priced at between R2,5 and R3 million. A small number of stands were recently made available at special promotional rates in conjunction with Elan, the property group tasked with marketing Mjejane.
Full title ‘bush view’ stands measuring 3200m² on average are also available at portion one at prices ranging from R1,1 to R1,5 million. Portion one is also set to accommodate a hotel, timeshare and fractional ownership chalets, sports facilities and a number of other amenities in the near future.
In terms of portion two, forty full ownership stands have been made available at this node which is being left unfenced. As such, all homes built in this area will need to be raised on stilts. Portion two stands measure one hectare, cost between R2,3 and R2,5 million and will only be transferred once the stands are serviced and proclaimed which is due to take place soon.
Approximately 240 residential stands measuring between 2000m² and 4000m² are to be developed at portion three. Provision has also been made for approximately 80 cluster units, sports and recreation facilities, clubs and a hotel at this node.
Development of recreational amenities, commercial property and approximately 200 residential stands is planned for portion four. A luxury tented camp is in the pipeline for portion five which will be made available on a fractional ownership basis. In the future, a ‘floating lodge’ may also be developed at the reserve’s large dam.
The vision behind the development at Mjejane is described as “sophisticated modern African design embracing crisp, warm, modern architecture with strong graphic qualities and honesty in the selection of the materials.” In keeping with its eco-friendly stance, all areas surrounding building sites have to be rehabilitated and kept as natural as possible and all units have to subscribe to predetermined architectural guidelines aimed at merging properties with the surrounding landscape as far as possible. The result is an ambitious property destination well worth watching in the years to come.