FROM THE BRETT4REAL DESK
There are certain weekends that come and go. You enjoy them, you laugh, you take a few photos and by the following week life carries on as normal.
And then there are weekends like Bonamanzi.
Weekends that somehow become bigger than the itinerary itself. Bigger than the accommodation, the game drives, the awards or the food. It becomes about the people, the atmosphere, the stories that come out of it afterwards and the feeling you are left with once it is all over.
From 16–19 April 2026, the Brett4Real team headed up to Bonamanzi Game Reserve in Hluhluwe for our 1st Anniversary and Annual Awards Weekend. Looking back now, it is difficult to explain just how much energy and anticipation had already built before we even arrived.
The weekend actually started five weeks earlier with the Brett4Real Intelligence Files challenge. Every Friday the team received a puzzle. Some cryptic. Some frustrating. Some brilliant. Some caused absolute chaos in the group chats. The whole idea was simple enough. Solve the puzzle, extract the character and slowly build the final word.
Over time the letters eventually formed the word DRIVEN.
And honestly, by the end of the weekend, it felt like the only word that could properly describe the experience.
By Thursday morning the excitement around the office was already alive. Bags packed. Cooler boxes loaded. Food, drinks, wine and beer carefully packed for a few days in the bushveld heat of Zululand. There is always that slightly chaotic energy before a trip like this where everyone talks over one another while simultaneously trying to make sure nothing important gets left behind.
A massive thank you must go to Rikesh and the team at ZKT for the luxurious coach that got us there in absolute comfort. Air-conditioning pumping, leather seats, music going and the vibe already properly underway before we had even left Umhlanga.
The trip was alive before Bonamanzi had even begun.
And when we finally arrived, there was no time to slowly settle in because the final Intelligence Files challenge was waiting for the team. Everyone suddenly became very competitive again. The final clue sent people racing toward the thatched cabana searching for the hidden envelope and, in true Brett4Real fashion, things became serious very quickly.
Congratulations to Alwene Els who thought quickly, moved quickly and secured the win.
Inside the hidden envelope was the final message:
REAL INTEREST WINS.
Simple. But powerful. And probably the best possible way to describe Brett4Real as a business and as a team.
Once the excitement settled down slightly, everyone checked into their cabins and was welcomed with champagne, welcome packs, ponchos and snacks before we headed off into the first experiences of the weekend.
The Pesco Sunset River Experience was honestly one of the most beautiful ways to begin the trip. Floating quietly along the river while kingfishers darted across the water, fish eagles called overhead and the Zululand sunset reflected across the river gave everyone an opportunity to finally slow down and properly take the surroundings in.
There is something about the bush that forces people to relax a little. The noise falls away.
The game drives on Thursday afternoon introduced us properly to Bonamanzi itself. Rhino grazing quietly in the distance. A tower of giraffe moving slowly across the open veld. Buffalo hidden deep in the bush. Birdlife absolutely everywhere. Bonamanzi is one of those places that still feels genuinely wild.
Pesco proudly partnered the Sunset River Experience and, after more than 25 years of working together in different ways, it became another reminder that long-term business relationships are built on consistency, trust and simply showing up properly over time. We are incredibly grateful for their continued support and involvement with Brett4Real.
Back at Bundu Camp later that evening, Team Giraffe took control of the braai duties while the fires roared under the African night sky. Shisanyama on the menu. Wine flowing freely. Music getting louder as the evening carried on.
Then came the war cries.
And this is where things started becoming properly entertaining.
The teams had clearly prepared for this moment. Choreographed dancing. Coordinated routines. Gumboot dancing attempts. Enough confidence to make you think half the group had secretly been rehearsing for weeks. Some performances were genuinely impressive. Others were impressively confident despite lacking any actual rhythm whatsoever.
At certain moments it felt like a mixture between a Zulu cultural festival, a school camp talent show and a Justin Timberlake concert after several bottles of red wine.
The laughter around the fires that evening was nonstop.
By Friday morning there was already a different feeling around camp. People had settled into the environment. Conversations were flowing easier. The pace had slowed slightly. Team Elephant proudly handled breakfast while everyone attempted to recover from the previous evening’s refreshments before the day’s activities began.
Our opening session with Jo Blackmore from Currencies Direct gave the team valuable insight into foreign exchange, offshore investment and international capital movement. As more Brett4Real clients continue investing internationally, semigrating or bringing capital back into South Africa to invest along the North Coast, these conversations are becoming increasingly relevant and important.
Currencies Direct continues to be a valued aligned partner to Brett4Real and we are sincerely grateful for their involvement throughout the weekend.
After that, Jill Corfield stepped fully into gear with team-building exercises, cryptic puzzles and IQ challenges that quickly had everyone’s brains overheating. Jill has a unique ability to turn absolutely anything into competition and before long people were arguing passionately over puzzle answers and strategy like national titles were somehow on the line.
Thankfully everyone was rewarded afterwards with the Papageorge Attorneys “Uncork the Deal” wine and cheese experience.
What a setup that was.
A magnificent spread of cheeses paired with Rivergold wines under the relaxed atmosphere of the Bundu Camp lapa before the afternoon game drives. Maria Papageorge created something elegant without making it feel formal or stiff. Just good wine, good food and good people spending time together properly.
Then came Friday afternoon’s second game drive.
And this is where Bonamanzi reminded all of us very quickly that human beings are not nearly as important as we think we are.
What started as another peaceful afternoon in the bush suddenly became one of the most adrenaline-filled experiences of the entire weekend when our vehicles found themselves uncomfortably close to a herd of elephants.
And when a herd of elephants decides to question whether or not they are happy with your existence, things become very interesting very quickly.
Flapping ears. Trumpeting. Dust rising into the air. Massive bodies moving toward the vehicles with complete authority while everyone inside suddenly became very quiet.
There was nervous laughter at first. Then silence. Then whispered prayers.
For a good 45 minutes the tension was very real while the herd made it clear whose territory we were actually in. In moments like that you realise very quickly just how small human beings really are.
Fortunately our ranger remained unbelievably calm throughout the entire encounter and somehow managed to slowly de-escalate the situation with a waving cap and the now legendary line:
“Hello my girl…”
Thankfully the elephants eventually decided we could leave in peace.
Gin and tonics afterwards became less of a luxury and more of a survival mechanism.
Friday evening then took us into one of the most memorable settings of the entire weekend, the Currencies Direct Bush Potjie Dinner.
An “Out of Africa” themed evening under fairy lights deep in the bush while distant thunderstorms lit up the horizon and Ant played guitar beside the fire. It honestly felt like something out of a Wilbur Smith novel.
Everyone arrived dressed for the occasion and the effort people made with the theme made the evening even better. Somewhere between classic safari elegance and old-school African adventure film energy.
The food was exceptional, the atmosphere relaxed and the entire evening carried that strange feeling where nobody really wanted the night to end.
Saturday morning brought another spectacular setting with breakfast at the Viewing Deck, proudly presented in association with Rodel.
Skottel breakfasts. Bacon and eggs sizzling away. Mimosas flowing. Fresh bush air and uninterrupted views while everyone simply relaxed and enjoyed the surroundings. It was one of those mornings where nobody was in a rush to be anywhere.
And somewhere between the breakfast conversations, the game drives, the fires and the shared experiences, something became very obvious.
Brett4Real is not held together by transactions alone.
It is held together by people.
Different personalities. Different generations. Different strengths. Different stories. Yet somehow all moving in the same direction.
That matters.
Especially in an industry where pressure, ego, burnout and competition can quietly destroy businesses from the inside if culture is not protected properly.
The final afternoon brought one last round of team challenges before everyone prepared for the main event of the weekend, the Brett4Real Trailblazer Awards Evening in proud association with Multinet Bond Originators.
And what a way to close the weekend.
A full lamb on the spit. Roasted vegetables. Incredible desserts and an evening dedicated to recognising the people who continue helping build Brett4Real every single day.
Importantly, the awards were never simply about turnover or production alone. They recognised consistency. Discipline. Loyalty. Growth. Work ethic. Contribution over time.
Because culture without accountability becomes weak.
People should absolutely feel supported inside a business. They should feel seen and valued. But standards still matter. Responsibility still matters. Professionalism still matters. A healthy culture cannot survive properly without accountability attached to it.
That balance sits at the centre of what Brett4Real continues trying to build.
The weekend also served as a reminder of something increasingly important in modern business. We are entering an era dominated by automation, AI, systems and digital communication. Brett4Real itself continues investing aggressively into technology, systems, War Room training and future-focused thinking.
But despite all of that advancement, one thing became very obvious sitting around those fires at Bonamanzi:
Human connection still matters.
Trust still matters.
People still matter.
No automation replaces sincerity.
No system replaces trust.
No technology replaces genuine human interest.
That philosophy has remained consistent from the very beginning:
Real People.
Real Advice.
Real Interest.
Real Estate.
A very special thank you must go to Jill Corfield who took the organisation and coordination of the weekend to another level entirely. The amount of effort, detail and work behind the scenes that went into making the experience what it became cannot be overstated.
Thank you as well to all of our aligned partners:
Rodel.
Pesco.
Currencies Direct.
Multinet Bond Originators.
Papageorge Attorneys.
And finally, thank you to everybody at Bonamanzi who ensured the weekend ran flawlessly from beginning to end.
The bush has a strange way of slowing people down long enough to remind them what actually matters.
And for four unforgettable days in Hluhluwe, that is exactly what happened.
#Brett4Real
#TrailblazerAwards
#Bonamanzi
#RealInterestWins
#Driven
#Rodel
#Pesco
#MultinetBondOriginators
#CurrenciesDirect
#PapageorgeAttorneys