I am not a hunter. However, this marks one of few great trophies in my professional property valuation career. I met Mr. Daniel in 1998, when I was appointed to value the embryo of the project known as the Nkomazi Wilderness Reserve and Cradle of Life project.

First appointed by Imperial Bank, and later his personal Valuer for Grand Valley Estates to date. This unique billion-rand nature conservation and mass rehabilitation project to reestablish an iconic national heritage and the Big 5 amongst other wildlife, I believe was a major loss to be listed as one of South Africa’s major achievements in private nature conservation. With prominent investors, and the dedication of Mr. Daniel, this reserve would have become one of the most valuable private owned nature reserves in South Africa.

It would have created prosperous economic growth within the Badplaas, Mpumalanga area, with a ripple effect which could have benefited the local struggling community. And now it is lost. Years of hard work wasted. The result of corruption in South Africa.

Mr. Daniel was committed. However, he certainly was blessed to find a professional team who invested in this case for justice. At own cost to loss of time, and expense. Simply because they believed in this case as well, just as Mr. Daniel had believed there must still be some justice left in South Africa. For me personally, it is a chapter closed.

After two decades of valuation assistance, two court appearances, and the final victory for my client, I can hang this trophy up my wall of career hunting. A judgement by Judge Neil Tuchten, awarded Mr. Daniel R306m for damages, with mora interest. Certainly, a victory and perhaps a lifelong chapter for Mr. Daniel hopefully closed.