Elephant tramples millionaire CEO to death at South African reserve

Francois Christiaan Conradie, the multi-millionaire owner of one of South Africa’s top private game reserves, was killed by a rogue bull elephant while attempting to move a herd away from tourist lodges.

The tragic incident occurred at 8 am on July 22 at the Gondwana Private Game Reserve near Mossel Bay in South Africa.

According to a report in The Daily Mail, Conradie, known as FC to friends and staff, was trying to guide the elephants when one of them suddenly turned aggressive.

The six-ton African elephant reportedly attacked Conradie with its tusks before trampling him repeatedly. Rangers nearby were unable to intervene in time, and emergency services declared him dead at the scene.

Conradie, 39, co-owned and managed the five-star reserve, a popular destination for celebrity safaris and high-end tourism. The reserve was fully booked at the time, with guests paying up to £900 per couple per night, the report said.

It is unclear whether any guests witnessed the attack.

Conradie was also the head of Caylix Group, a sports management company, and held honours degrees in zoology, animal studies, commerce and marketing. Staff described him as a passionate conservationist who had a special fondness for elephants and often ventured out to photograph them.

Gondwana issued a formal tribute, calling Conradie a “cherished leader, devoted husband and father of three.” The statement added, “FC was more than a leader – he was a mentor, a visionary, and a truly remarkable individual,” and asked for privacy for the family.

The reserve is home to Africa’s Big Five — lions, rhinos, leopards, buffalo, and elephants — and is famed for hosting the southernmost herd of elephants on the continent.

This is the second deadly elephant attack at Gondwana in just over a year.