In the coming weeks, 12 people will be leaving WildEarth. Guides Sydney and Pat, and cameramen Senzo and Craig will be among those.
These departures follow from changes we are required to make ‘under the hood’ to ensure WildEarth will continue to be able to bring you great LIVE wildlife experiences. As the environment in which WE and our clients operate continues to change, we need to make regular adjustments to the way we operate in order to survive and thrive. Since we started this venture in 2007, we’ve seen various such changes – and have weathered many a storm successfully – and we plan to continue to ride these winds of change into the future. There are some very exciting projects ‘in the pipeline’ for our LIVE safaris as well as for LIVE ocean broadcasts, but as most are still in their early stages, we will have to tighten our belt a notch or two until these start to come to fruition.
We are sad to have to say goodbye to Sydney and Pat as they both, each in their own way, brought a unique and personal perspective to safariLIVE. We wish them all the best and much success with whichever new adventures that might cross their paths. The same goes, of course, for Senzo and Craig. They’ve brought you great visuals from both the Mara and Djuma over the past couple of years and their contributions will be missed. WE also extend our heartfelt gratitude to the other crew leaving us that you may not know as well but were just as important to our mission.
We would like to express our gratitude for the hard work and contributions from all who are leaving, which made it possible to share the beauty of nature and its wildlife with all of you.
To see some local guides leave is very dishertening. I would like to see them come back, we need an equal representation, it make everyone feel included and i know its hard but theres always a way.
This is my second attempt at a posting. I don’t know why the first was deleted. Sorry for the loss for these excellent staff members. As a long time viewer I have seen many good people go. I understand Sydney was on sick leave. I take strong objection to removing Patrick, it should have been Trishala. She is the worst guide WE has. She offers nothing, can’t find anything, and someday will hit something if she doesn’t spend more time looking where she is driving. I no longer watch when she is on. I don’t want to see her hanging from a tree, belly dancing or giggling with hyenas for an entire drive. Shame!
OH NO! Not Sydney and Senzo!!! 😱😢😪 The mind boggles! ~Durban~
I have been a longtime viewer and am considering leaving now since we wants to sack everyone
This is so sad…what if every one said ok we all are going to leave and no more support for you ….HOW WOULD YOU AL FEEL??? same as we all feel with you letting those guides go.
P.S. it is me Nellie as that is the name I go by.
Sydney is going to produce a south african soap opera called ” as the dung rolls”.
This is so sad! I understand that changes are always hard and sometimes necessary. I am just wondering why loosing some of the best like Senzo or Sydney, who not only can share interesting facts about their local culture (unlike some other non South African guides) but were also a role model for many rural kids who might want to start a career in conservation and wildlife guiding. Being a professional guide myself (in a different continent and context), I just can’t get the idea of loosing the best of your staff… It makes no sense to me, honestly. I don’t say that the other guides are not knowledgeable. They are all great. But some have more to give than others… I will be very sad if experienced guides like Tristan, Steve, James or Jamie will leave the show… I just can’t understand why Sydney… That being said, I am happy the great David is back in the Mara, and I am always grateful to SL and the team for their hard work.
Don’t underestimate the power of the experienced people you have, i think you should be asking them after hours to voice over the previous live shows in sync with late night bedtimes of countries around the world, still live but voice only interacting with people late at night for obvious reasons, reaching a greater audience, #yourbestyearsareaheadofyou.
Col
From what I understand, those hired last were let go first. If that is correct I don’t understand how or why some are still staying that were hired last. Sorry if I am wrong. I am very sad about Sydney as I have learned so much from him. I would have let some go who have no where near the knowledge, entertainment value, commitment, passion or their job as he does. Pat is a wonderful guide. He works hard to find animals and as with Sydney, I have learned a lot from him! I also am sad for Senzo and Craig as they are wonderful cameramen! They are all wonderful people and I hope they will find something soon! Although I do understand why SL is doing what they are doing, I hope SL will rethink some they are letting go and choose others.
This is such sad news. I loved both Pat and Sydney, and Senzo and Craig were wonderful camera guys.
Look, I’m not going to come down hard on WE. I know this was a tough decision and a lot of anguish and hand-wringing was involved.
With such a great group of people – each offering their own set of skills and knowledge – the decision had to be a difficult one.
Sydney now has an awesome notch on his resume and I hope he will soon find a job guiding. And I look forward to Live Dive as well and Pat hopefully being a part of that.
Layoffs are sadly a part of any business.
My prayers are for all affected and that you all find a continued path – bringing nature to people.
Thanks WE for bringing this to us. Sometimes tough decisions must be made.
Shame! Shame! Shame! Sydney is arguably one of your most diversely knowledgeable guides! He made insects fascinating to me, a feat I would’ve thought impossible. His ability to teach and connect with the audience along with his infectious smile and laughter should make this gentleman irreplaceable! And to also cut such incredible talent as Senzo and Craig as well? Whoever is making these decisions needs to have their head examined. I understand you’re trying to grow in terms of locations but your talented people should come first with plans to go back into the ocean, for example, be put on hold until it’s feasible to do without negatively affecting the lives of many of your team members (you know, those people that helped you build your business). Care of your team and their families should’ve been top priority. And I’d also like to echo the comments of Charlene, Musoka and Sibusiso said. Seriously, shame on whomever thought this was a good idea. I wish everyone who was cut, including the unnamed staff, happy and successful futures.
Well said, I agree with this sentiment completely!! Whoever is making these decisions PLEASE reconsider!
The loss of these incredible people is tragic. I sincerely hope that the organization is working with each individual to ensure their employment at the same or higher rate of pay is achieved. I also hope that there was a generous severance pay to help them get through in the meantime. I hope that each leaves with a stellar recommendation that would place them at the top of any new employer’s hire list. How a company treats employees, even those being cut, tells a lot about that organization. My fear, however, is that these things were not done or done half-heartedly. I’d love you to set the record straight and if my fears are unfounded, would love to know. The most important asset any organization has are its employees. And, for this viewer, how you treat them, even when cuts are necessary, is very important. I don’t want to be further disappointed by learning that these talented and dedicated individuals were just shown the door. My heartfelt best wishes to each of you who are leaving or have already left. . You are the best of the best and the best is what you deserve!
“There are some very exciting projects ‘in the pipeline’ for our LIVE safaris as well as for LIVE ocean broadcasts ” – Obviously projects cost money, it means that if you are able to engage in your so called “exciting projects” then you have money – therefore you able to manage salaries for these 12 souls. You just dont care about the impact Mikosi and Zenzo had on young poor black boys from rural areas who watched the Safarilive.
I’m from Hammanskraal, a rural place north of Pretoria, often i would spend my last last cent to purchase data and crowd around the monitor with young boys to watch the drive – the exitment and motication these young boys got from seeing Mikosi (Sydney) on the screen was marvelous – every time they saw him on the monitor they were convinced that they can also be guides one day. DOES “WE”CARE ABOUT THAT ?????
I’m so angry – YOU ARE SO SENSELESS. I wish all the best for those 12 souls you have decided to dump.
I completely agree.
Well said, Sibusiso! I completely agree with you. Management clearly has very little insight into what and who their viewers want.
Heaven knows where this is going to end…
It just leaves more room for freelancers, but we don’t need them keep what we have
Please bring Sydney back! He is so knowledgeable and his stories of Venda culture are fascinating. Please!!
Sorry for YOUR loss WE. You messed up here. Pat and Sydney are two wonderful guides. Senzo camera work was so good. I am newish over the last few months so not very familiar with Craig. The other 8 people you canned behind the scenes deserve recognition that you don’t provide either. To all of you I don’t know how to reach out to, thank YOU for what you do! And all the best to your future. Charlene brings up an excellent point that I applause. Great models for young black girls and boys. What were you thinking? The fact that these guys aren’t given a chance to connect with the audience THEY helped build for you execs in suits makes me angry if I’m being honest here. Gone from how can I help spread the word and support this endeavor to having extremely mixed feelings about all of this. I do understand the needs of business and cuts need to be made. This wasn’t well thought out or handled though. Cheers to your future all those pushed out. I’m rooting for you.
I hate to see these wonderful guys leaving. So sad. I will miss Mr. Dung Beetle. I am actually shocked about Senzo being one to leave. What a Great cameraman…..THE BEST ever.
My opinion, to save money, should have dumped the live dive return instead. I agree with Charlene’s comment above. 100%.
I’m an African American viewer. I’m so disappointed to see both Sydney and Senzo leave. They are role models for all the little black boys and girls who dare to dream of being guides and wildlife photographers. They are visible and just by their presence say ‘yes, you can too.’ In America we view Africa as homeland. A place that represents our soul, grounds of us. All of its beauty and all of its animals and its people are our history and to see people with the same skin color as us preserving nature is so vital. This really saddens me. I love this show, but feel a disconnect with the representation of the country.
Sad that when you finally get good guides you “have to let them go” that sucks!!
oh man. … i’m sad. & a touch angry. duh on me.
I feel so particularly sad that we are losing Pat – who I feel has come to show an exceptional sensibility. A rare sensibility. But of course, like everyone else, I know this decision will have been a very, very hard one for management. It is part of the SaraiLIVE experience that we do come to intimately know and appreciate each individual’s contribution – the camerawork too, of course – it is a privilege. So we feel real grief at these partings.
I am so sorry that they are leaving. I am arriving at Djuma on July 27 and was so looking forward to meeting Pat, Senso, Craig and Sydney. It will be great to be back at Djuma again and visit with who might be around.
survival is foremost in importance for any organization. I am sad to see people leaving. I wish them all the best in the coming months to find new opportunities.
So so sad about Sydney, Craig and especially Senzo who is the best cameraman on safarilive