Over the Decades

1979
After many years as the District Surgeon for Northern Zululand and the Makatini plain, the late Dr. Siegfried Prigge established a successful sugarcane farm in Pongola. His first love however was for cattle and game farming. This led him to purchase the farms Kube Yini and Lowane in 1979. His main objective was to raise cattle and to hunt game “for the pot” on the side. He quickly erected a cattle dip and kraal at the spot where the KY clubhouse is currently situated. His next objective was fences and water. He removed the fence that divided the two farms internally and strengthened the communal border fences. The seasonal flooding of the Msunduze River forced him to erect the border fence at the river above the flood line, although the actual border is in the middle of the river. This excluded his cattle from the river as their only water but did ensure their safety from poaching. It was thus imperative to find groundwater, as this area is well known for extended periods of drought. 

1980
Dr Prigge’s first challenge was to get a boring machine over the mountain and down into the valley. For this, he had to build a special road. He used a small D4 Caterpillar to construct the road past Baboon Dam to allow the boring machine access to the Msunduze valley. The first borehole in the valley was drilled in 1980. The water, although brackish, was good enough for cattle. The 2nd borehole, near Plains Dam, followed soon after. In order to supply the boreholes with power he contracted Eskom to lay 3-phase electricity from the neighbouring farm Sungulwane to the two main boreholes. During this time, he did not overnight at Kube Yini, but travelled daily from Pongola and back. 

1982
The old farm homestead was used by his cattle herders and game guards.
In 1982 he contracted Mr. Wilhelm Pfaff to construct more roads to make most of the farm accessible. 

1983
It was in 1983 that he constructed a rondavel on the site of the Kube Yini Rangers house. This dwelling was used for short-stay sleepovers. 

1987
Dr. Siegfried Prigge continued to farm on Kube Yini with his cattle until he was diagnosed with Leukemia in 1987.
It then became impossible for him to continue with managing the farm from his home base in Pongola. 

1988
He was approached by Andrew Montgomery who, after successful negotiations, bought Kube Yini in 1988. Historically Kube Yini Game Reserve consisted of two farms, Lowane and Kube Yini. In 1988 the farm was bought by Andrew Montgomery who had the vision of nurturing the veld back to a nature reserve where it could be owned by like-minded people who would preserve and conserve the 1214 hectares as a private game reserve. The meaning of the name Kube Yini is difficult to translate but in English, it would mean: “What is this?” or “What should it be”.

1989
Mr Montgomery established the Kube Yini Shareblock Ltd and the first 25 sites were surveyed in 1989. 

1991
The next 25 sites were laid out in 1991, thus making a total of 50 sites or shares. Mr Montgomery wanted an extra share for a communal facility and thus created the 51st share which became the KY Club House, swimming pool and tennis court for all shareholders to use and enjoy. 

Current Day
Today each of the 50 shareholder sites is individually owned, and of these only three remain undeveloped. For more information on the Regulations of the Reserve read the Kube Yini Use Agreement and the Kube Yini Nature Reserve Protected Area Management Plan.