O1B2F4E. TIMESHARE SOUTH AFRICA 1986

MOMENTS IN OUR LIVES-1 2026-03-03

O1B2F4E. TIMESHARE SOUTH AFRICA 1986

FOREWORD

The 1980s ushered in a new chapter in our family life with the discovery of the timeshare concept. What began as a membership with RCI, grew over 35 years into a rich collection of memories across South Africa. This chronicle serves as a record of the resorts we visited, the adventures we had, and the eventual end of the timeshare era.

A family legacy of adventure, funny stories and precious times together. A beautiful and nostalgic journey through our timeshare adventures. It reads almost like a travel guide to South Africa's most beautiful places, but with the precious personal anecdotes that bring it to life. It is stories like these that make a family legacy rich.

It is striking to see how the timeshare concept (RCI and Flexi-Club) gave us the opportunity to explore the whole country—from resorts in the Western Cape to the northern provinces.

IN THE 1980’S WE DISCOVERED TIMESHARE.

At that time we had a membership with RCI, where you could only go on holiday for full weeks. Later, many users felt the need to be able to go on holiday for shorter periods, and we switched to Flexi-Club. They made it possible to go for a mid-week (Monday 14:00 to Friday 10:00), or a weekend (Friday 14:00 to Monday 10:00).

Our journey began in 1983 at Sedgefield Garden Route Chalets. We bought our first timeshare there with money that Rinie inherited from her Dad. About a year later, the bug bit me too and I used my Dad’s inheritance to buy a timeshare unit at Pine Lake Marina, which is also in Sedgefield, on the Swartvlei lake. We rarely went on holiday at our own timeshares. Most of the time we swapped, one of the biggest advantages of timeshare.

We did go on holiday at Garden Route Chalets twice. Once when Tania was in Standard 7, she invited a friend along. Sedgefield was a very small town at the time. We went to buy food and when we drove back, there were a couple of boys sitting long-legged in front of a wall by the road. Tania said I should drive closer so they could see the boys better. So I drove so close to them that they had to pull their legs up. The two girls slid down in embarrassment so that the boys wouldn’t see them.

Rinie and I once went on a boat trip on the lake, but our weight was too much, so the water would come in when the boat tilted. Rinie was pretty distressed. When I got out, my knees were above the water, the lake was so shallow there. I walked in the water and pulled the boat to shore with my hand.

Once we were in our own unit, a regular two-bedroom house, and the second time in an A-frame house, when Christiaan and Samantha were with us.

At that time, the timeshare market was not so crowded, and we almost always got a place at the resorts we applied for - I think you had to give a few alternatives in the order you preferred. We have had very nice timeshare vacations over the years and almost always enjoyed them.

My vacations were usually the standard three weeks, and we always went on vacation to our parents, especially on the farm, and then did a timeshare week last. The timeshare resorts that follow are not in the order we were there - that's how they appear in the Flexi-Club holiday guide.

CAPE CENTRAL:

Avalon Springs - It's in the lovely old historic Karoo town of Montagu, at a hot spring, 200km from Cape Town.

Bantry Bay - It's in Sea Point, 5 floors down from Victoria Road to the sea. It has a fantastic sea view, with a swimming pool below just above the waves. We visited there twice; once Marinus was there with Frieda-Marié. The units are tastefully laid out and it is nice to stay there. It's within walking distance of the 4 beautiful Clifton beaches.

Cape Gordonia - It's in Gordon's Bay, opposite the South African Naval College and the yacht harbour. It's a wonderful resort and we thought about buying there, but we couldn't, because the boys were still studying at the time. Our unit was on 3 levels, the top level an open deck with a jacuzzi and a fantastic view at night over the lights of False Bay. We once had a great time braaiing there with Chris, Arina, Billy and Marlene.

Club Mykonos - It is located between Langebaan and Saldanha, and has a beautiful Greek character with its bright colors of white, blue, red, turquoise and yellow. The kalivas are all built in Greek style and well equipped. There is also a yacht harbor and Greek restaurants (where you can throw your plates on the floor when you are satisfied with your food!), tennis courts and swimming pools outside and a heated indoor pool. There is also a small casino with a restaurant next door. They have expanded a lot since their beginnings. We have been there 4 times, once with Johan and Elize Uytenboogaardt, and another time with Billy and Marlene Phillips. We also took a boat out into the lagoon.

Hastings Hall - It is located in Tamboerskloof, Cape Town. It is very central and we explored Cape Town during our time there. We also took the cable car up to Table Mountain.

Hermanus Beach Club - It is located on a rocky coast and there is a variety of sport on site. Marinus and Frieda-Marié came to visit us for a weekend before their wedding.

Kagga Kamma - It is located in the Cederberg Mountains of the Western Cape, with a canyon within the game reserve. It is known for its scenic beauty and hundreds of Khoisan rock paintings, which are up to 6000 years old.

Mount Sierra - It is a 6-storey apartment block in Gardens, Cape Town, and we explored central Cape Town from there, as well as the Waterfront, Sea Point, Green Point, Clifton's beaches, rode the Red Bus, Camps Bay, Llandudno, Hout Bay, Chapman's Peak and other places on the Cape Peninsula.

Port Owen Marina - It's a lovely resort near Velddrif on the West Coast, at the mouth of the Berg River. We've been there twice, the first time in a two-level cabana, where our bedroom was upstairs. We opened the large glass door and could hear the jingling of the sailboats' masts in the wind all night.

Some days the wind can be strong and Rinie and I rowed downwind to the sailboat harbor. When we finished exploring the harbor, we had to row upwind to our unit, and it was hard work. Every time I took a breath, the wind blew us back to the harbor. Luckily, I found that if I stayed close to shore, the wind blew over us and we could eventually get back to our unit, very tired.

Port Owen is a marina, so they dredged the wetlands so that people could moor their sailboats next to their homes. There's also a nice swimming pool. The surroundings are typical West Coast, with little vegetation.

Strand Pavilion - This is also a very nice resort and we stayed there twice. Both times we were lucky to get a unit on the top floor, the second time in the Penthouse on the Gordon's Bay side. We invited Hugo and Ilse to come with us. Marietjie also came along. It was a very nice week there together. Everyone took turns cooking. We went to show them the beautiful places in the Cape. Right next door is the large municipal swimming pool. On the top deck of the resort is a small swimming pool and braai facilities. There is also a heated indoor swimming pool. We braaied on our own stoep and had our drinks there.

The Peninsula - It is on Beach Road in Sea Point and it is also a very nice timeshare, beautifully situated with a full sea view in front of you. It is luxurious and we were in a nice big unit with a full kitchen, air conditioning and our own jacuzzi, which the children really enjoyed. The resort arranged daily excursions for the guests, one to Signal Hill, and the other along the promenade along the sea.

We chose the easier walk along the sea. At that big circle just next door on Beach Road, the instructor had us do exercises - flat on our backs, legs in the air, swinging our arms, etc. Rinie felt embarrassed, because there was a constant stream of cars driving by, but I didn’t mind. Further down the promenade it was the same again, but this time the two boys just kept walking, probably embarrassed too.

We parked the Passat outside in the street at night, because indoor parking was quite expensive. The next morning when we got to the car, the passenger window had been smashed and the radio stolen. What an annoyance. I asked Louis where I could have the window replaced and it was done near his workshop. We replaced the radio later.

We explored Sea Point and also came across Cafda on Main Street, a second-hand bookshop that also sold many LPs at R3 each, later R5, most of them classics. Over the years, I regularly went to Cafda when we went to Cape Town and each time I left with a stack of LPs still in excellent condition.

As people get older and move to retirement homes, they have to downsize. Most have stacks of LPs, accumulated over many years, which they then have to get rid of - they unload them at Cafda. They sell them and donate the money to welfare projects.

When we ourselves had to downsize to Ametis in 2023, I sold almost 900 LPs in excellent condition, sealed in 5 sturdy wooden boxes, to a dealer from Barrydale for R1600. He made a very big bargain - I must have paid between R4000 and R5000 for them.

But that's how it goes with everyone. If you have to downsize, you are forced to get rid of a lot of what you have built up over a lifetime, for a pittance. In the end, you are happy if someone can just take it off your hands. Many of Rinie's dresses, selected over the years, some never worn, we dropped off at Hospice and the ACVV. She paid thousands for them.

The Riviera - It is on Beach Road in Sea Point, and we were able to explore the Cape from there. It is close to the large municipal swimming pool right next to the sea. The unit is equipped with everything you need. As always, it was a nice getaway from home.

GARDEN ROUTE:

Beacon Island Hotel - This is one of the most picturesque timeshare resorts in Plettenberg Bay. It is built on a rock that runs into the sea, is 6 floors high, and has a large oval interior, so that you can look down from each floor to the interior of the ground floor. It was built on the site of a whaling station, that was closed in 1916. On the sea side there is a large lounge with very large glass windows so that one has a beautiful view of the sea and waves, which splash up against the windows at high tide.

There is no Self Catering, but there is a small bar fridge. Because we couldn’t afford to eat in the hotel every day, we boiled eggs in our kettle and bought food such as instant breakfast porridge, hamburgers, milk, coffee, vegetables and fruit. We locked all signs that we had cooked in the hotel room in the built-in cupboards.

The last night we were there, we spoiled ourselves by eating in the hotel’s dining room. There are lots of sports and entertainment, and of course it has a lovely beach where you can swim, surf and tan.

Plettenberg Bay itself is a very pretty town on the Garden Route and there are many art galleries nearby, such as Old Nick Village, where Rinie bought herself a mohair knee blanket - very expensive, but worth it. I later regretted that we didn’t buy a bigger blanket to cover us both. There is also a very old wooden weaving machine, with which they still weave material. Keurbooms River has beautiful camping sites under dense trees along the river. We sailed on the river with canoes.

De Bakke Terrace - It is in Mossel Bay, opposite the beaches of Die Bakke, where many years ago Oom Pieter and his friends often went on holiday with his red motorboat with the black Mercury outboard engine. The apartment is well equipped and it is Self Catering. Mossel Bay is a very historic town with many attractions, such as the old Post Office tree (which was already there in 1501, when sailors posted letters there), Delfinos Restaurant at the Point, Cape St. Blaize lighthouse and caves, Bartolomeu Diaz Museum, Pinnacle Point Estate, the Casino, and ATKV Hartenbos. Oudtshoorn and the Cango Caves are also nearby, and of course the Garden Route.

Garden Route Chalets - in Sedgefield (see earlier) + Pine Lake Marina, also in Sedgefield, on the Swartvlei lake. There is lots of entertainment especially for children, and we drove far out on the lake with pedal boats. The units are well equipped and are Self Catering.

Knysna Chalets - Near Knysna lagoon. These are small detached chalets, Self Catering. From there we explored the Garden Route.

Knysna River Club - We were here twice. The units are well-varnished, attractive, spacious wooden houses on the edge of the Knysna lagoon, and are very well equipped. There is a swimming pool and it is within walking distance of the Knysna Waterfront with its many entertainment and stalls.

People who are going on the lake with larger boats should watch the tide, because there are large parts that are very shallow at low tide. Frik and Freda got stuck with a houseboat and had to wait for the next high tide to get free again.

Knysna is a beautiful historic town, with the Knysna Heads, Brenton-on-Sea and the vast Tsitsikamma forest with the Big Tree, an 800-year-old Outeniqua Yellowwood, 36+ meters high, and a circumference of 9 meters. It is one of the most photographed trees in South Africa. We had a great time there with our two sons.

Stilheuwels - We were on holiday here twice. It is on a hill in Stilbaai and well equipped and Self Catering. Stilbaai is a quiet little town, just an hour away from Mossel Bay. It has nice beaches where you can swim, the water is not cold.

Once we rented a house with Mammie and Ilse and all their children and had a great time together for a few days. We were once walking on the beach between the rocks and pools with the beautiful anemones, when I saw a small octopus in the water. The children were very scared, so I wanted to show it to them and approached it carefully. I heard that his beak was at the bottom between his legs, so I grabbed him by the top of his head, with the intention of lifting him up so that they could see him. The next moment he shot his arms up against my arm like lightning and sucked. I was scared to death and tried to pull his arms down one by one, then he just shot them up again and sucked. I was very afraid of his beak.

Fortunately, he probably realized that I was harmless and just as afraid of him as he was of me, so he let go of me and I let him fall back into the pool, where he immediately went under the rocks. I don’t know what the children thought of the whole episode, but they certainly saw that I was very scared.

On another occasion we were at the swimming beach of East Stilbaai and Mammie was among us in the waves, laughing as always. Suddenly a big wave came and her false teeth fell out of her mouth - it was of course immediately lost. We looked around, but as I myself have found on previous similar occasions, the moving waves wash such things away and then under the sand, so it was lost.

Poor Mammie. We went to a dentist, but it would take more time to make her new false teeth than there were days left of the holiday. So Ilse and her family dropped her off without teeth in Wolmaransstad, where she had a new set made.

Wilderness Dunes - This is a fantastic resort at Wilderness and we have been there twice. It is just past the long beach on the way to the Garden Route. It is located 25 km from George, past the Kaaimans River Pass, before Sedgefield, on the sea side of the N2. It lies between bushes and very close to a beautiful long unspoilt sandy beach. There is a swimming pool and tennis courts.

The atmosphere is very relaxed and it really is an ideal place to relax. The houses are all luxuriously equipped and Self Catering. The surroundings are very beautiful, with the Map of Africa, the Fairy Knowe Hotel, Kaaimans River Bridge, Island lake, Bo-Langvlei, Rondevlei and the large Swartvlei lake between Pine Lake Marina and Sedgefield, all within driving distance.

KWAZULU NATAL:

Margate Sands - Here are the golden Natal beaches, in contrast to the white beaches of the Cape. The main beach is right in front of the large 7-storey apartment block. This is a lovely holiday resort, Self Catering, in the beautiful lush vegetation of the South Coast. We drove around a lot to attractions in the area. We all went canoeing up the river. There are many recreational facilities within the resort with several swimming pools outside. It was very hot during the nights, and sweaty. The last day when we were getting ready to go out at 10:00, I saw a control on the dining room wall and realized it was for the air conditioner, which we needed so badly!

Tenbury - This is a 10-story building on Durban's South Beach. It is also Self Catering and does not have many facilities on site. We explored the area, also walked along the Golden Mile beach. The sea water is of course wonderfully warm, in contrast to the cold water of the Cape. Vos and his family were at the Oceanic in Durban at the same time as we were at Tenbury, and we had a great time together, also in their large spa.

He and Marietjie knew all of Durban and the surrounding area well, because they had gone on holiday there for many years. Vos loved Rinie very much, and every time we drove away after a holiday Vos was in tears - he was an emotional person.

He once took us out to a place known for their steaks and ribs where you could eat as much as you wanted for the price of one. Vos could eat and he paid the full bill. The next time we went out to eat together, he took us to Amanzimtoti south of Durban, to a place where you could eat as much seafood as you wanted. Then it was my turn to pay.

Umhlanga Sands - This is located on the beautiful North Coast along the beach and is a 15-storey building. It is one of the most popular beaches in South Africa and has lots of entertainment on site and in the area, beautiful places to drive out to. The apartment is well equipped and is partly self-catering.

DRAKENSBERG:

Champagne Lane - These are separate thatched houses near Winterton. The houses are beautiful, spacious and well-equipped and self-catering. It is located in a very beautiful area, close to the giant Drakensberg Mountains. I wanted to go up one of the passes, but the Passat wouldn’t, so we turned back home.

There was a trampoline and the boys obviously jumped on it a lot. Christiaan was probably in Standard 1 or 2. He came to call us because he wanted to show us how he did a summersault. He jumped a little to the side and landed with his head on the steel frame. His scalp was split open, so that the white of the bone was showing, and blood was pouring out. The resort manager said the nearest doctor was in Winterton, 30 km away. I called the doctor and told him we were coming. When we got there in the Passat, he stopped the bleeding and put in several stitches.

He then said that we had to go to Ladysmith Hospital the next day so that they could take X-rays of his head to make sure he didn’t have a skull fracture. It was of course a whole day’s drive. Fortunately there was no problem - he has a hard head, literally and figuratively!

Little Switzerland - It is located high on the Olivier’s Pass within sight of the Drakensberg Amphitheatre, near Bergville. Alida was with Christiaan on his BMW 1150 RS - they had recently been married. Our chalet was self-catering and on two levels - Marinus slept in the living room. It is well equipped and there are quite a few facilities on the resort, such as a swimming pool, tennis courts, squash, table tennis and a sauna. We went for a walk one afternoon to a small river nearby. There is also a bowling green and balls, so we went there a few times to play with the children - they quite enjoyed playing with Rinie, as she is a bowls champion.

It is a beautiful area, but the road surface to the resort is unbelievably poor - the resort was closed later because of this.

MPUMALANGA:

Waterberry Hill - It is near Hazyview and we have been there twice, in detached houses, which are self-catering and well equipped. On the premises there is a swimming pool, jacuzzi, tennis courts, mini golf, table tennis and a pool table. The area is very beautiful and rugged, with Hazyview 4km away and Kruger National Park 19km.

We were there when Marinus and Ingrid, his English girlfriend, came to visit South Africa during his Working Holiday. We were once in the Game Reserve at Numbi Gate. Somewhere at a low-water bridge over a river we were standing and looked at game by the water, when Ingrid shouted “Elephants, elephants!”. Then a whole herd of elephants came down from the bushes to the water, with several young ones too. We were amazed at them, as they played in the water, very close to our car. We drove around the Game Reserve all day and saw many other animals.

It must have been wonderful for Ingrid, because although she was born in South Africa, both her parents lived in England, and were divorced there. She lived with her three sisters and her mother in Hastings, on the coast south of London, and Marinus stayed with them. Everyone loved Marinus very much because of his personality. He was granted British citizenship to study at a British university for free. But he decided to study in South Africa instead, at Stellenbosch University, where he later received his doctorate.

Waterberry Hill is located in a beautiful area in the Lowveld, close to places such as God’s Window, Bourkes Luck Potholes, Blyde River Canyon and many wonderful waterfalls, including Lone Creek, Lisbon, Mac Mac and Berlin. The Lowveld really has some of the most spectacular places in the country - the Long Tom Pass, the Three Rondavels, Graskop, Ohrigstad and Pilgrims’ Rest. We enjoyed relaxing in our own jacuzzi.

This is banana land, and I bought a whole bunch of green bananas, more than a meter high, along the road to take home,. That evening I left the bunch outside on a steel table. The next morning we had to see that monkeys or baboons were at the bunch of bananas and had crushed most of them with their rough handling. We later had to throw most of them away.

NORTH WEST:

Bakubung Bush Lodge - It is located in the Pilanesberg National Park, near the Sun City complex. The units consist of thatched chalets, well equipped and Self Catering. There is a large swimming pool where you can relax, also tennis courts. We drove through the Pilanesberg Game Reserve and saw many animals, but not as many as in the Kruger Game Reserve. We went to Sun City one full day, 15 km away, where there are of course many attractions. We all also gambled a few rand for fun - Marinus was the only one who won quite a lot.

Dikhololo - It is 32km from Brits in the North West. It is thatched roof units, self catering and well equipped. It is located in the Bushveld and there is a swimming pool, tennis courts, squash, mini golf, a pool room and a restaurant.

I asked Heine to come and visit us for the weekend and I had a great time with him there - we went for long walks alone and enjoyed each other's company. He is my eldest son and I love him very much.

Mabula - It is located 50km from Warmbad in the Waterberg Bushveld. The units are widely spaced so that you don't see each other at all. Sometimes at night I heard the heavy footsteps of a large animal outside the open window - it must have been an elephant or rhinoceros.

The chalets are well equipped and self catering. There are tennis courts, a gym, restaurants. My mother and Rinie's mother came with us and we could see they enjoyed it very much.

We all went on a night drive to look for animals, but saw almost nothing. Nearly back at the camp the guide shined his strong flashlight on the road and there were two very small bright reflections - it was a spider's eyes! Now that's a game drive!

Vos and Marietjie were also there. In the evening when Vos was braaiing meat on the stoep, the warthogs with their young ones were running past, with their funny little tails straight up in the air. People must have thrown food for them.

Magalies Park - It is located next to Hartebeestpoort Dam and units are situated far apart, with large lawns in between. It is self-catering and well equipped, with swimming pools, sauna, tennis courts, squash, golf course and restaurants. The nearest town is Schoemansville (12km). One afternoon there was a heavy hailstorm. I was standing outside under the overhang when a very large hailstone fell, hitting the pavement with a thud so that the ice splashed in all directions. I never knew stones could be that big - it could kill a person.

Sun City - It is located on the edge of Pilanesberg National Park and is by far the largest timeshare resort in South Africa. There is an air train to transport people from their cars to the many attractions. There is also a regular 24-hour bus service to transport people from their chalets to recreational areas and back for free. There are 4 hotels - The Palace, Cascades, Cabanas and Lost City.

There are 2 golf courses, one the Gary Player golf course, designed by Gary Player himself, where the Nedbank Golf Challenge is played annually in November. It attracts top players from all over the world. The second course is the Lost City golf course.

Then there is the Valley of Waves, where artificial waves are made for swimmers to surf, sailboats, water skiing, swimming pools, jacuzzis, tennis courts, squash, golf, horse riding, a zoo, 2 casinos, many restaurants and a supermarket.

Furthermore, people can drive through Pilanesberg Game Reserve with various routes to view a large variety of animals.

Around Pilanesberg there are several timeshare resorts - Bakubung, Kwa Maritane, Manyane and Bakgatla. If people cannot find a place in Sun City, they can stay at one of these resorts and drive into Sun City daily. Within Pilanesberg there are 7 lodges. Sun City is the ideal resort for people to take part in all the entertainment that is offered, 24 hours a day at the casinos and some other places such as restaurants.

CONCLUSION: THE END OF AN ERA

We once bought a timeshare at Club Mykonos because the consultant assured us that they would rent the timeshare out for us. That did not happen and we struggled for a long time to get rid of that timeshare. I even had a long correspondence with one of the directors of Flexi-Club, Peter Snyman, but he would not give in.

At that time there was a lot of bad reporting in the press regarding the whole timeshare industry, and Peter was grilled on one of those TV interviews. The interviewer argued that many people say they cannot sell their timeshare units, not even get rid of them when they can no longer afford them. To this Peter said that Flexi-Club does release people from their timeshare obligation if they follow the right routine, before the end of May each year.

I then wrote a letter to Peter towards March the following year, reminding him of his undertaking in the press, and asking to be released from my financial obligation, which at that stage amounted to R13,600 per year.

Eventually I was free from Flexi-Club. When Rinie bought her timeshare in 1983 the annual fee was only R400, and one was readily given the resort you requested, at the time you wanted to go there.

But as more and more people bought into timeshare it became increasingly difficult to get what you wanted at the time you wanted it. And inflation eventually made it very expensive, so that you could no longer afford it. For R13,600 I could probably get a good week somewhere on my own, without being tied to a timeshare organisation.

When we were at Margate Sands with the two boys, Christiaan went to ask the resort manager how much it would cost to book a week there, because he was getting married and was thinking of staying there for a week. Then the manager said the price was the same as what I paid for my timeshare membership! So there is no longer any benefit to belonging to a timeshare organization. This holiday system has outlived its usefulness.

My conclusion about the timeshare industry is in line with the experience of thousands of South Africans. In the 80s it was a revolutionary way to make luxury holidays affordable, but the rising charges and the ease of online bookings have largely made the model obsolete. The membership fees eventually exceeded the cost of direct bookings.

Although the financial system has outlived its usefulness, the memories of sunshine, laughter, and family togetherness remain our richest heritage. Although the system is obsolete, the memories in terms of family time are priceless.