Meet The Team

Bushwise Management

Mark Montgomery: Manager of Bushwise, Head Instructor of Mahlahla and Garonga Campus'

Mark is the Manager and the Head Lecturer of Bushwise with extensive experience in field guiding having been a ranger/field guide for the past 9 years at Makalali Private Game Reserve in the Limpopo Province. At Makalali he has held the position of head ranger for 4 years. Mark is a well respected, accredited FGASA assessor and has trained and assessed many guides throughout the years.

He is a registered field guide and has a FGASA Level 3 (SKS) Dangerous Animals qualification and registered with DEAT and Theta. He loves dangerous game and doing guided walks in dangerous game areas. He has an Advanced Rifle Handling qualification and is a FGASA National Assessor and a qualified EFR First Aider.

Jean-Pierre Le Roux: Senior Trainer of the Bushwise Garonga Campus

Jean-Pierre is the senior instructor at the Garonga Campus and has been involved in the tourism guiding industry for more than a decade.

Although holding a National Diploma in Business Management his true passion lies within nature. He is qualified as a Level 3 (SKS Birding Guide National) as well as ARH and VPDA. He is also further qualified as both National Guide Nature & Culture, and as a FGASA Assessor.

He is equally passionate in sharing his knowledge while training students as that he is also a member of the prestige's 700 birding club.

Sophie Niemann: Director and Logistics Coordinator

Sophie has been working for GVI for the past 7 years setting up and running GVI programs in Africa. She started out working for CCAfrica for a number of years as a field guide at Makalali game reserve and then moved over to student programs, predator research, program planning, logistic and management with GVI. Sophie currently oversees over 15 research and training programs in Africa (Namibia, Uganda, Kenya and South Africa), including a South African National Parks training and internship program; wildlife and marine programs in Kenya working with the Kenyan Wildlife Service; and predator research programs in South Africa. She brings huge experience in student management, training and logistics to the team.

Shirell Lynch: Administration Manager of Mahlahla and Garonga Campus'

Shirell is responsible for the daily operation of the training centres. She is in control of all meals cooked for you and all the “behind the scene” aspects of running the training centre such as general administration duties, domestic staff management, budgets, local bookings and logistics. Shirell's responsibilities also fall into the marketing and accounts department. She has a Bachelor of Commerce in Human Resources Management and an extensive business background. She is currently completing a Sales & Marketing qualification and has traveled and lived in various countries all over the world, such as the UK, Ireland and Australia. Shirell has a keen interest in Birding and Mammals.

Field Staff

The Bushwise management team are also supported by a team of equally well qualified staff in their fields.

Charles Delport: Instructor

Charles is an instructor at the Mahlahla campus. He has over 7 years guiding experience in various lodges all over South Africa. He has FGASA level 3 and is a fully qualified trails guide with advanced rifle handling and first aid certification. Charles has also formally studied guiding in the form of a Diploma in Game Ranging and Lodge Management and has attended various nature courses as well as completing an Assessor course. Charles enjoys walking in dangerous game areas and is very passionate about guiding and nature, especially in the Birding and Astronomy fields. 

Margaux Mathey-Le Roux: Instructor

Margaux is a trainer at the Garonga base. She has always been passionate about wildlife, and decided to do her first FGASA course in 2003. Since the completion of the FGASA theory she decided to obtain a formal university qualification and consequently she obtained a B-Tech in Eco Tourism Management (Cum Laude) from the Tshwane University of Technology in 2009.

She has been a full time and free lance guide since 2007, where she had the opportunity to work as a guide in the Kruger National Park. She has also been involved in research projects and programs, and in 2008 she was contracted to conduct the annual lion and hyena census in the Kruger Park. Her passions include ethology, conservation management and wildlife photography. Other hobbies include scrap booking and beading.

Daryl Robinson: Instructor

Is an instructor at the Mahlahla Campus and been in the guiding and lodge industry for the past 9 years. He has an Advanced Rifle Handling qualification as well as View Potentially Dangerous Animals qualification. He is also a qualified Trails Guide and First Aider. His special interests include birds, ethology, large predator behaviour as well as the smaller functioning aspects of the environment. He also is a keen wildlife photographer.

Sebastiaan Jansen van Vuuren: Instructor

Sebastiaan is an instructor at the Garonga campus. Sebastiaan has been guiding since 1999 as a guide and Head Guide in the North West province, Waterberg and the Lowveld, which happens to be his favourite area.

He has always had a passion for the bush which started as a child on a farm in the Waterberg area. Sebastiaan's passions are tracking animals and everything Bush-related. His hobbies include fishing and reading.