FOR anyone needing a timeout from a hectic Jozi lifestyle, the Ubuntu Kraal, situated in the midst of the hustle and bustle of Soweto, is the ideal kickback place - a little piece of African tranquillity just kilometres from the centre of Johannesburg.

Here, on 2.8 hectares of prime real estate in Orlando West, people can rent one of the 10 self-catering bushveld-style lapas - available for the day - or hold conferences or functions.

Driving into the development from Orlando, the eye is immediately drawn to the centrepiece of the venue: the conference facility. Painted in pink, with black and white drawings of Zulu shields and assegais and cast-iron three-legged pots on the walls, the conference building can hold up to 500 people. It can cater for a wide range of activities, from graduation ceremonies and jazz concerts, to weddings and marketing events.