MEET THE TEAM
Directors
Jim and Sheila Musto
Jim was born and raised in Zimbabwe. After completing a B.Sc. Agriculture at the Univeristy of Natal he took up a research post as a soil scientist at a Forestry Research institute and continued studying. After 6 years of flirting with an academic career the calling to return north of the Limpopo became too strong. He and his newly-wed wife, Sheila, got on their bicycles and headed north. Several punctures later and after some hair-raising traffic experiences in Nairobi, they decided that for the sake of their sanity and their marriage it would be a good idea to lay down the bicycles and find some employment in Kenya, which eventually transpired in a dairy farming job in the Rift Valley. Fours years later they returned to Zimbabwe to farm tobacco and coffee, but this was cut short after two years by Mugabe’s land plan, and resulted in a return to dairy farming – this time south of the Limpopo, near the village of Magaliesburg, west of Johannesburg. The Musto tribe, now numbering 6, moved further south in 2008 to the beautiful Kaba game farm. Jim has always been interested in livestock, game farming and veld management. He also shares his wife’s passion for educating youngsters in the exciting business of life. He has cycled, run and kayaked competitively for several years and has also spent most of his life involved with horses – for work and pleasure.
Sheila was born and raised in the farming areas west of Johannesburg. The daughter of exceptionally dynamic and innovative parents, Chippy and Cynthia Brand, Sheila has inherited that same contagious excitement for life and for people. After completing a two year diploma in Biblical studies followed by a BA at UCT, Sheila traveled and worked in the UK and Europe for a year before returning to enroll for her HDE (Higher Diploma in Education) at the University of Natal. She had been enjoying high school teaching at Epworth Girls College in Pietermaritzburg, when she was persuaded to join her husband on his north bound travels. She was recognised by both teachers and pupils as an inspiring and exciting teacher, and she has remained passionate about teaching young people. Sheila is also passionate about cooking and healthy eating and living – she thoroughly enjoys her sessions with the Quest students, inspiring them with the joys of growing and preparing food that is tasty and healthy. Her background in English and drama teaching have meant she can also have an important role in the development of public speaking skills. She often combines this with discussions on relationships and spiritual matters - subjects that are both very close to her heart, and form an important theme in the Quest experience.
Instructors and Guides
Ross Chapman
Ross was born and raised in Kokstad, KZN. He was a top athlete in his school years at St Patrick’s College, competing at provincial level for swimming and national level for athletics. When Ross finished school in 2020, he decided to do the Quest Core-plus program, and excelled on all levels, being voted Top Student by his peers. Upon completion of Quest, he completed a higher certificate in personal training and conditioning, before accepting an offer to return to Quest.
In 2022, Ross joined the Quest team as a Guide and Physical instructor. He is responsible for the day to day management of the Quest Main Camp and plays a key role in the physical training program. As an ex Questor he understands the program and is absolutely passionate about his role in developing young people. He is an energetic and enthusiastic young man with exceptional resilience and physical ability. He does everything with the highest of standards and has earned the respect of all in his charge, and also his co-workers in the Quest team.
Andrew Green
Andrew grew up in Hilton, KZN and comes from an active, outdoors loving family. Andrew enjoyed cycling and cricket growing up, and played cricket at provincial level. He developed a passion for woodwork and carpentry in his teens and decided to do the Quest core-plus program in 2020. After completing Quest, Andrew worked on a Dairy farm before returning to join the Quest team as a Guide in charge of Bush Camp.
Andrew is involved in the day-to-day activities of the Quest program and the Kaba farm, as well as managing Bush Camp. Physically tough and exceptionally fit, he assists Ross in running the physical training program. He has developed a high level of practical competence, with a wide variety of skills, from bush survival to carpentry to farming knowledge, which makes him very useful for both training Questors and assisting with any practical jobs needed on the farm. Andrew is exceptionally disciplined and hard working, and as such is a great mentor for young people, who will learn to enjoy solid, no-nonsense hard work while in his care. He is well respected and enjoyed by the Questors and his co-workers in the Quest training team.
Cameron Smith
Cameron was raised in Cape Town where his favourite childhood memories included fishing, hiking, building forts and rafts, and exploring the mountains as a Boy Scout. This love for the outdoors continued as Cameron spent a few years in the States working at an outdoor adventure camp, and this is where his love for rock climbing really grew.
He has a BSc in Environmental Science and Geography, as well as qualifying as a high school Geography and Life Science teacher. He is also a qualified mountain guide, taking clients hiking, rock climbing and trekking in beautiful destinations like Table Mountain, and the Cederberg in South Africa, and Borneo and the Himalayans further afield. He has an eye for detail and organisation and plays a big role in organising expeditions and trips, as well as being hands-on with the Questors in day to day training and activities, especially rock climbing, fishing and technical training.
Dean Payne
Dean is in charge of the Technical acumen training, and maintenance for both Quest and the Kaba farming business. He is a person of exceptional energy and technical skill. He is truly exceptional in that he has a thorough knowledge and working ability with all the main technical areas that we are able to cover - workshop tools and welding, vehicles and vehicle maintenance, woodwork and carpentry, building, plumbing and electrics. There is no area that is in any way a weakness. He really enjoys the students and is a fine role model of hard-working zest for life. He maintains very high standards in the workshop and instills good habits of safety, "house-keeping" and completing jobs thoroughly and well. Dean has become an indispensable part of the Quest training team.
Jaco Prinsloo
Jaco is responsible for weapons and hunting training and he also runs the Quest butchery, and oversees the management of the trophy hunting business on the Kaba farm. Jaco is able to put his hand to almost anything practical and so he is able to instruct in most of the Technical skills. He has several years experience in nature guiding and professional hunting before joining the Quest team in 2019. With his wide range of skills and his ability with training young people, he has become an invaluable part of the training team.
Chitani Gopole
Chitani Gopole is a man of exceptional ability. He is able to absorb knowledge and learn new skills faster than anyone I have ever met. He also has the ability to make a plan when lesser men would have thrown in the towel long ago. He is quiet and unassuming but underneath the calm exterior is a determination and resilience that has allowed Chitani to achieve amazing things with the opportunities he has had.
Chitani left Zimbabwe in 2007 and joined us at our dairy farm in the Magaliesburg area. Every opportunity he has been given since then he has grasped with both hands and become extremely competent in a range of skills which include all aspects of cattle management, veld management, workshop skills, welding, woodwork, sewing (clothes making, tent repairs) leatherwork and saddlery, horse riding, meat butchering, and all aspects of nature guiding. As a nature guide (FGASA level 1), Chitani is competent in all aspects and his knowledge is broad and sound. His real forte is trees.
With the Quest students Chitani is a patient and well-liked, hard-working guide who trains farming skills, livestock management and bush craft and nature guiding. Chitani’s story and, in particular, his attitude to learning are a wonderful example of how much can be gained if one grasps opportunities with both hands. Chitani’s attitude, resourcefulness and work ethic make Chitani a great role model for the young Questors.
