Wilro Tours

Eugene was born in Cape Town, completed high school at Pretoria Boys High and spent a year in the army as a gunner in the South African Artillery. After studying for the National Certificate in Tourism, he joined SARTravel in 1979 and barely a year later his love of railways saw him grabbing the opportunity to be involved with their "Summer Train Tour" and "Steam Safari" tour train programmes, the latter carrying many overseas railfans around South Africa when steam locomotives still operated in many parts of the country. He was also fortunate to backpack around the U.K. and Europe, travelling hundred's of kilometres by train.

During his tenure at SARTravel, Eugene spent a year in Zimbabwe and six years in New York. Not long after SARTravel was rebranded as Connex Travel, he returned to South Africa and was responsible for international sales for Connex. This position saw him travelling to Australasia, Singapore, Europe, the U.K. and the USA, before he decided to move on to work for two other Johannesburg-based tour operators. 

In 1995, Eugene was one of three founding members of Wilro Tours & Transfers, when the company started out with one vehicle. Four years later, his partners left the company and he has continued as the sole owner since then. While most of his time is now spent in the office, he can also be found out on the road, helping out with airport transfers or Meet & Greet's.

Eugene has been married to Lee for 30 years and they have two daughters. He is an avid railfan and photographer, regularly contributing photographs to www.railpictures.net . His work has also been published in Railways Africa and International Railway Journal. He also enjoys reading and watching rugby or cricket.

After completing high school, Jutta studied for a Diploma in Sales & Marketing, as well as a certificate in Travel & Tourism. She began her career as a junior groups consultant in 2004 and worked her way up to senior consultant. Looking for a change in pace, she joined Wilro Tours & Transfers in 2008, working in both our reservations & accounts departments. In October 2010 she was promoted to Reservations Manager.

Jutta enjoys a challenge and handles the pressure of the reservations department with a positive attitude. She enjoys spending time in Mpumalanga and regularly takes her son to the Kruger National Park. Having lived in both South Africa and Namibia, she speaks English and German fluently.

Lufuno strives to learn as much as he can about the Tourism industry. He has completed various courses, including Domestic Fares & Ticketing, Galileo and a Hotel Management Learnership programme. In 2007 he joined Wilro Tours as an intern, whilst participating in a Learnership Programme through Energy Guides. After completing his learnership, he was offered a full time position with our company as Operations Assistant and has recently been promoted to Operations Consultant.

His primary role is to plan and update our operations rosters and to prepare the daily worksheets for our tourist guides. If you can't find Lufuno in the office, he is most likely at O.R. Tambo airport, meeting guests off their flights. He is also one of our after hours Duty Managers

Lufuno comes from Venda in Limpopo province and, as the major breadwinner for his family, he tries to go home as often as possible. Meeting people from all over the world and sharing his knowledge of South Africa with them, is what he really enjoys. He lives by the motto "go the extra mile".

He is currently registered for Gauteng and North West provinces and is studying towards his N6 National Certificate in Travel & Tourism.

David was not always interested in tourism and started his working career as a merchandiser in the retail industry. After obtaining his driver's license, he decided a change was needed in his life and he joined the cut throat world of driving minibus taxis. Realising that this was not for him, David secured himself a position as a Chauffeur / driver. In 2003 he joined Wilro Tours & Transfers as messenger and vehicle cleaner. David is the longest serving employee of the Wilro Tours team and today he fills the position of Operations Assistant, looking after the maintenance of our fleet. He also assists in the office with answering telephones and filing. In addition, he is one of our after hours Duty Managers, with the responsibility of ensuring the smooth delivery of service to our customers.
 
During his time with us, David has expressed an interest in the tourist guiding side of the business and has been studying to become a registered tourist guide for Gauteng province. He can often be found at the airport, meeting clients and transferring them to their hotels or game lodges. David enjoys soccer, music, movies and spending time with his wife and two children.

Ruben was born in kwaZulu-Natal and lived in Durban for a few years, before moving with his parents to Ermelo in Mpumalanga, where he completed high school in 2005. Ruben's mother owned a guesthouse, which gave him a taste of the tourism industry at a young age. 

From 2006 to 2010 Ruben studied at North West University's Potchefstroom Campus, where he completed a B.Com (Tourism and Recreation) and a Diploma in Project Management. He then enrolled for a Field Guide (Level 1) course through FGASA and joined the Wilro Tours team in June 2011, providing a support function in our office, primarily for Accounts and Operations.

Ruben loves travelling and seeing new places, and enjoys the tourism industry very much. In the future he plans to enroll for a tourist guide training course. He enjoys living life to the full and is an avid Sharks supporter. Helping others is a real privilege for him.

Harrison hails from Malawi and has been living in South Africa since 1999. He has done various types of work since coming to South Africa, including cleaning houses, gardening and moving furniture. He joined our team in 2009, where his duties include keeping all our vehicles clean, as well as maintaining our office and garden.

Farming is in Harrison's blood - back home in Malawi his family farm maize, beans and sugarcane - so he happily tends to a small vegetable patch at our office premises. He also enjoys soccer and attending church as often as possible.

Ali started his working career in the hospitality industry, having worked for various restaurants and lodges, including Umbhaba Lodge in Hazyview, Mpumalanga. He joined Wilro Tours & Transfers in 2005 and was promoted to Head Tourist Guide in October 2010.

Ali is of South African and Malawian parentage and thus has an interest in Southern African countries. He wants to learn as much as he can about the nature and culture of South Africa and our neighbouring countries, to pass his knowledge on to future generations. Besides sharing his knowledge with all the tourists he meets, he enjoys hearing about where they come from and their cultures. When he has a few moments to spare and is not spending time with friends and family, you will find Ali watching TV, reading up on history, nature and current events, or playing soccer.

Ali is currently registered for Gauteng, Mpumalanga and Limpopo provinces, as well as Swaziland. He is studying kwaZulu-Natal and North-West provinces, as well as FGASA Level 1.

Khuliso hails from Venda in Limpopo province and moved to Johannesburg in 1996, where he completed his high school education, before studying Accounting and Internal Auditing. Unfortunately, a lack of funds forced him to look at other career opportunities and he became a tourist guide, working for a number of Gauteng based tour operators, including being based at The Saxon hotel.

Khuliso joined us in 2006 and is currently registered for Gauteng province. During 2009/2010 he completed a French language course with Alliance Francais, in preparation for the 2010 Soccer World Cup.

A proud father of two little girls, Khuliso enjoys reading, singing, playing soccer and debating.

Tefo's passion for Tourism started at an early age. He studied Tourism as one of his senior high school subjects. After high school, he went on to study for a Diploma in Travel and Tourism at the Vaal University of Technology, but unfortunately could not complete this course. In 2006 he was selected for a learnership programme with Energy Guides and successfully completed his tourist guide training.

Tefo is always smiling and has a sharp sense of humour. He enjoys all kinds of sport and one day plans to travel the world to see what it offers.

Tefo joined our team in 2007 and is currently registered for Gauteng, Mpumalanga, North West and Limpopo provinces.

Robert has been involved in the Tourism industry since 1988. He began his career in tourism as a driver / chauffeur and, over the years, has worked for various companies and hotels, including The Westcliff and Melrose Arch Hotel in Johannesburg. In 2005 he decided that being a driver just wasn't enough for him and he studied to become a Tourist Guide. With this qualification he began freelancing for a number of companies, including Wilro Tours & Transfers. In February 2010 he joined us on a full time basis.

Robert lives by the motto "Tough times do not last, but tough guys do". In order to be a "tough guy", Robert tries to give 110% in everything he does, which led to him achieving our first "Employee of the Year" award in 2010. Robert also believes that there is no such thing as bad criticism, if taken positively it will build you as a person. His interests include jogging, reading and attending church when time allows.

Robert is currently registered for Gauteng province.

From 1976 to 1997 Amos served the South African Government in various positions, including being an educator. After leaving government employ, he worked as an Estate Agent, prior to embarking on a career as a Tourist Guide. He freelanced for many companies until early 2010, when he joined Wilro Tours & Transfers on a permanent basis.

Still happily married after 32 years, Amos spends most of his free time reading about history and tourism. He enjoys meeting new people and promoting South Africa. Amos has five children, 3 sons and 2 daughters. His sons are married and independent, whilst his daughters attend the Tshwane University of Technology.

Amos is currently registered for Gauteng, Mpumalanga, North West and Limpopo provinces.

Siphiwe, the youngest member of our guiding team, was born in Pimville, Soweto but also spent some years of his life living in Pietermaritzburg, kwaZulu-Natal. He started his working career with the Department of Social Welfare & Pensions, assisting with the paying of pension grants. After completing a Diploma in Travel & Tourism and obtaining his Tourist Guide qualification, he joined Wilro Tours & Transfers in 2009.

In his spare time he enjoys travelling and attending cultural activities. He is a member of a community Maskandi (Zulu dance group) in kwaZulu-Natal. Siphiwe is currently registered for guiding in Gauteng province.

Born in Nairobi in 1945, Peter grew up on a coffee plantation in western Kenya. After school, Peter trained in Graphic Art in the United Kingdom, before returning to Kenya to embark on a career in advertising, which saw him posted to various African countries such as Uganda, Tanzania, Zambia and Zimbabwe, during the turbulent sixties and seventies. Overlanding from Kenya to South Africa, Peter found a continent full of intrigue and wonder.

In 1974 he settled in South Africa and sought a new career in Tourism. Joining an overland safari company, Peter was able to spend time in the bush with the animals he so dearly loves. He accumulated a vast amount of knowledge during his years in the bush, having to set up camp and cook food on a log fire in the open veld. One of our first freelance guides, Peter joined us some 14 years ago and still enjoys sharing his knowledge of the African bush on a part-time basis, mostly on weekends. When not guiding, Peter can be found at home painting African landscapes and writing of his experiences in the bush. He is currently registered for Gauteng, Mpumalanga, North West and Limpopo provinces.

Len has been guiding for more than 20 years. He started out as a Field Guide and spent many years in the bush at various lodges in the Sabi Sand Reserve & the Timbavati. Next was a move to overland trucks, doing trips throughout Africa, as well as adventure guiding. In between doing his overland safari's Len started working for Wilro Tours & Transfers as a freelance guide and has done so for the past seven years.

Prior to his career as a Guide, Len served in both the Rhodesian and South African armies and has a great interest in military history. His other interests include rugby, cricket, birding and cooking, for those who enjoy the taste of the bush.  Len is currently registered for Mpumalanga province and has FGASA Level 3. Most recently, he has conducted several of our day tours in Gauteng for birders.

Patrick arrived in South Africa from Belgium at the tender age of 13 and could only speak French. Today he also speaks English fluently and throws in a little Afrikaans from time to time. Patrick is married with two children and one grandson. When he is not guiding, he enjoys spending time with his family, learning more about history and nature.

After doing his National Service in Belgium, he returned to South Africa, where he began working in a restaurant. Patrick then decided to go into sales, selling various products to the hospitality industry. Prior to becoming a tourist guide Patrick spent some time at the Margate Hotel in kwaZulu-Natal as the Food & Beverage Manager.

Patrick is currently registered for Gauteng, Mpumalanga, North West and kwaZulu-Natal provinces, as well as Swaziland. He guides in both French and English.

Moses started his working career in 1975 as a clerk for African Eagle Insurance. From there he ventured into the Stock Market, where the world of shares and dividends kept him intrigued for 23 years. He worked his way up to Operations Relationship Manager, until he was retrenched. He then decided to get involved in Tourism and has been guiding since 2003.

He has always had a keen interest in sport and has tried his hand at table tennis, soccer and boxing. Moses performed well in the midfield on the soccer pitch and played many games in various divisions. He also fought a number of amateur boxing matches and likes to tell the story of his first fight where he beat his opponent in the first bout of the first fight of the night. He also enjoys Ballroom dancing.

Moses is currently registered for Gauteng & Mpumalanga provinces.

Shaheed has worked in the travel industry since 1990. He started his career working in outbound retail travel and then went on to become the Marketing Manager for Malaysia Airlines. Currently, he works as a freelance Tourist guide, as well as doing study programmes with a number of international universities.

He has a wide variety of interests that include politics, fishing, rugby, antique cars, foreign cultures and Reiki. He also plays the piano. From time to time he likes to mention some of the celebrities he has conducted tours for, including Samuel L Jackson, "Judge Judy" and Mia Farrow.

Shaheed is currently registered for Gauteng & Mpumalanga provinces.