A falcon built to flex

When he decided to build a caravan, Kotie Terblanche from Worcester had one non- negotiable: it had to be different. Enter the Rooivalk – his bold new off-road model.

- Leon Botha

Kotie grew up at the foot of the Swartberg Pass near Die Hel, in a family that loved camping.

Later, he became a tradesman with a serious soft spot for steel bolts. He helped build a string of fast-food outlets across the continent before turning his hand to something new: a caravan of his own.

The biggest challenge was translating the picture in his mind into something real. He went through designer after designer before finally building a wooden mock-up of what would become the Rooivalk. Designer De Wet Oosthuizen took that model and turned it into a set of detailed drawings.

Kotie's love for World War II machinery runs deep - and the idea of building an off-road caravan that stands out stayed front and centre. But there's no point making something this unique if you can't sell it. The Rooivalk's look was inspired by an American Stealth fighter - especially its angular side panels, sharp nose and windows - but there's more than a passing resemblance to our own Rooivalk helicopter too.