When I visited South Africa last week, after some 12 years absence, my first port of call was the offices of Tusk Resorts in the plush residential area of Bryanstown in northern Johannesburg.

During my years with Sun International the Tusk properties were part of the regional SunBop group, which had the Mmabatho Sun Resort Hotel & Casino as the company's first property in 1976, and where I had been the Casino Manager for 3 years. At the time John Barret was Regional Manager for the company's outlying properties that covered an area from Gaborone, Botswana in the north to Fish River on the Indian Ocean in the south, and Swaziland in the east. John had a large area to cover, and he did the job with the panache and expertise that were his trademark.

Eventually, some of the properties under John's tutelage became Tusk Resorts, and under his stewardship other properties have been developed as the South African gaming franchise expanded. Along with the new properties, the local South Africans have developed the skills that were in evidence all those years ago. When John told me that one of the promising Tables' inspectors in my old operation had developed into a casino manager and had been appointed to run their new flagship, The Rio Casino Resort in the Klerksdorp region of North West Province, I felt a sense of pride in her achievements. Ms Ipapeleng Abbott had made the grade, along with other South African gaming professionals at casino properties the length and breadth of their welcoming and beautiful country.

The Rio, which opened at last week, has already turned into a 'must-see' attraction in Klerksdorp, and caters for a wide variety of tastes. It is based on the concept of the exotic Brazilian Carnival in Rio de Janeiro and is full of vibrant colour and fun, with entertainment for people of all ages. The casino has 200 state of the art slot machines and 10 gaming tables, which feature the brand new e-FX Jackpot Roulette developed in Holland. Dennis Korthouwer, Marketing Director of the Play-Twice Company that produces this exciting new roulette feature, was excited about The Rio operation: "We worked very hard with John Barrett for the casino opening and it went very well, and everyone was very happy."

When I phoned Ipa to congratulate her on her operation she most graciously reminded me of some telling moments in her career when our management style provided useful alternatives for her to follow. John Barrett, Gaming Director for Tusk Resorts, has been a tower of strentgh in the development of the gaming industry in Southern Africa, and with his mischievous charm usually has the last word on most matters. In this instance, however, mere speech is insufficient to express his or anyone's comments. The Rio Casino Resort proves to be his latest statement, and is where Ipapeleng leads a team of gaming professionals who are the future of South Africa.

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