Around 100km from both Johannesburg and Pretoria in Gauteng and a tad over 40km from Rustenburg in North West, Farmer’s Weekly found a fine retreat on a working farm where couples may kindle their romance.

Jenni Gillies and Dave Smith, a married couple who both had professions in the corporate world, bought the 200ha farm in 2005. Jenni now takes care of the cottages and farming activities, with Dave assisting when needed while still being involved in the corporate world.

They registered their horse stud as Phefumula, and the retreat inherited the name. The name means ‘take a breath’, and this is the ideal spot for guests to inhale deeply, relax and recuperate.

The restoration of existing buildings and additions started in 2010, and in the same year, Jenni and Dave received their first guests. Jenni tells Farmer’s Weekly that many of their guests are repeat visitors.

Where you’ll stay

The biggest challenge experienced on the farm is reliable electricity provision. However, any visiting coffeeholic will be pleased to know that a 35kVA generator is part of the solution, with gas stoves and hotplates in most cottages, ensuring that guests may have coffee at any time they wish.

There are no TVs in the units, but many pubs in the area allow guests to watch important sporting events while visiting Phefumula, that is, if the sporting event is more important than the person you are spending the weekend with.

One of the attractions at Phefumula is that guests may opt for self, partial, or full catering. A comprehensive menu offers splendid meals: breakfast, lunch and dinner, and guests also have the option to arrange for a picnic backpack when hiking up the Magaliesberg.

Tadiosi Banga, who started working on the farm in 2012 as a farm hand, is now the housekeeping manager and chef. He prepares all the meals and is known for his oxtail dish.

Guests need to give warning of at least five days for any meals or picnic baskets they may require, ensuring staff have enough opportunity to source fresh meat, vegetable and all other ingredients. The catering staff serve meals in the units. The most popular meal with guests is dinner, and many also opt for the picnic backpack.

Recycling is important to the staff and owners of Phefumula, and they use a Bokashi system. Guests will find bins in their cottages for food waste, which staff use for composting purposes.

To ensure a romantic ambience, tables are set with petals, candles and crystal glasses when the staff present dinners. The privacy of the cottages and private Jacuzzis ensure guests have a relaxing time.

All cottages make provision for two adults and have king-size, extra-length beds, fireplaces and braai facilities. Upon request, Jenni will arrange for massages in the privacy of the cottages.

Phefumula hosts engagements, anniversaries and birthdays where Jenni and her staff will provide additional services.

Jenni booked Farmer’s Weekly into the Leopards Leap Cottage. It has mountain views, and a path leads from the cottage up the mountain. An open-plan design with a kitchen and dining room area and a fireplace separates the cottage into two areas while serving both sides.

The second area comprises the bedroom with a large bathtub, shower and basins, and a toilet and bidet in a separate room. There is also an outside shower. The patio has comfortable deck chairs from where guests can enjoy the views, and it also leads to the braai and Jacuzzi.

The Frisky Zebra Cottage is similar in design to Leopards Leap, also with mountain views.
The Meerkat Alley Cottage is a stone and thatch cottage, with a bush view. It has a double shower inside and an outside shower.

The Porcupine Ridge Cottage also is a stone and thatch building with a bush view, also with a double shower inside and a shower outside.

The Rhino Fields Cottage is a large, double-space cottage with a thatch roof. It has bush and mountain views. The cottage does not have an outside shower but an outside warm-water tub with a mosquito net.

Things to do

Guests are welcome to hike on the farm. Hiking trails go to the top of the mountain, where guests can take a break and enjoy the splendid views and a pre-ordered picnic backpack if they wish.

The Magaliesberg is one of the oldest mountain ranges in the world and UNESCO declared the area a Biosphere in 2015.

If you are a cyclist, you are welcome to bring your bicycle with you, as there are plenty of farm roads to use.

This area is also a twitcher’s paradise. One visiting couple counted more than 100 distinct species of birds from their cottage, while the greater area has over 400 identified bird species. The farm’s activities, birds and scenery make for many great photo opportunities.

Day visitors may also use the hiking trails. These trails use different start and end points and hikers do not come close to the cottages. Groups may book at nominal fees, and Jenni and Dave sell craft beer and boerewors rolls to hikers on the day.

Jenni tells Farmer’s Weekly that wildlife occurs naturally on the farm, with sightings of baboons, gemsbok, kudu, nyala, warthogs, honey badgers, brown hyenas and waterbuck.

They have had numerous sightings of leopards, including the rare strawberry leopard named Red. Jenni and Dave bought three zebras that have now grown into a dazzle of zebras.

The endangered Aloe peglerae also grows on the top of the mountain.

On the farm

The primary agricultural activity at Phefumula is cattle farming. Jenni tells Farmer’s Weekly that she took the journey “from corporate to cow shit”, a quick learning curve.

She now manages all aspects of the farm, including the Bonsmara stud. Joseph Letlape, born on the farm, is the foreman and keeps a close watch on the cattle. He checks on their health every second day, while he monitors pregnant cows every day.

If Joseph finds any problems, he reports these, which the team then decide to either treat themselves or call a vet to attend.

Major challenges are ticks, and a plant called inkberry (the poisonous berries can be fatal to cattle when eaten). Leopards, jackals and brown hyenas are also a threat to calves. Many snakes are present on the farm, like cobras and puff adders, but the team have not recorded any injuries or deaths.

A breeding bull stays with the cows. Jenni separates the heifers from the bulls until they are three years old, sometimes older, and sells the young bulls. Calves stay with the mothers for seven months, or longer if that period is over winter. Jenni grows 5ha of weeping lovegrass (Eragrostis curvula) for fodder.

A vegetable garden produces edibles for the owners, staff and guests, and chicken and geese also roam the farmyard. Guests may see horses when they visit.

Community responsibility

Jenni is the chair of the Route 24 initiative, a tourism organisation stretching from Rustenburg through Magaliesburg to Hartbeespoort. The priority of the route is the growth of tourism and the training and development of staff.

This organisation represents and supports over 75 members of the hosting community who are under obligation to provide good service at reasonable prices.

Dave also plays a significant role in the community as one of the managers for
firefighting and prevention in their sector. He compiles plans for all scenarios and when needed, all members of the community partake in executing these plans.

Rates start from R2 000 per night per couple during the week and R2 200 per night per couple over weekends.

Phone 082 550 8965 or visit phefumula.co.za.