Virtual Africa is owned and run by James, Schalk and Tinus.
We are proud Africans who share a passion for using technology to show our continent in an unique way.
We’ve known each other since 1995 and have found that our diverse personalities and skill sets create an amazing synergy when thinking and dreaming about how to show off Africa to the world.
Schalk is our marketing guru.
He loves people and ideas and is a constant inspiration to keep on thinking bigger.
He is the best businessman of the three and will someday help us make some money.
He is, amongst other things, a highly skilled change management consultant who has worked on projects at companies like ISCOR, De Beers, SABMiller and Vodacom.
He has a built-in positivity that is as infectious as it is inspiring.
James is a qualified mechanical engineer who has chosen to align his life with his passion – the ocean.
He is an excellent photographer, a big wave surfer and simply put, one of the most impressive and humble people you will ever meet. (read more…)
His most important contribution to the team is his pragmatic approach to life and business.
Having a good idea is great, proper planning and execution is something completely different – and that is where James operates best.
He is also the only one in the team who still has a six pack stomach.
Tinus (that’s me) had a six pack in the previous millennium, but has since spent too much time behind the laptop and in airport lounges.
He usually doesn’t do much at Virtual Africa, so he has been given the responsibility to write our blog in an effort to keep him busy.
He is a huge fan of U2 and can actually quote Bono outside of his lyrics (which Schalk and James find both sad and scary).
He loves Africa, the internet, his wife Mandi and his sons Jean and Tiaan and finds some time to write on this site when they are asleep.
Like James and Schalk, Tinus has a talent for spotting something special – and that is why he is a proud Virtual African.
Special mention:
The ‘three musketeers’ are not the only people involved in Virtual Africa.
We’ve been privileged to have a whole host of photographers, reps and developers contribute since we started in 2004. Some deserve special mention……
Graeme Bryant
· Graeme was there in the ‘early years’ when we dreamt of some day putting our funny pictures on a map (this was before Google Earth).. He is a specialist database dude and a good friend, who shares the passion for our continent and saw the potential for immersive imaging when most people where still on dial-up connections.
Dawie van Wyk
· Dawie is our best chance of making some real bucks. He is a scratch golfer who is one day going to invite us to come and watch him play at the Masters. He has been our Project Manager for the last year or two and is they guy who gets things done. Anyone who owns a business would know what an intelligent, self-motivated, honest and hard working team member is worth …. Dawie has been that guy at Virtual Africa.
Dave Molyneux
· The world famous Super Dave has been one of Virtual Africa’s most prolific and consistent photographers. (Almost all the scenic imagery of the Eastern Cape and KwaZulu-Natal that you’ll find on this site was created by him.) A soft spoken and loyal team member, Dave is just an all around great guy who takes great pictures of great spots.
