For a country that receives at least eight million tourists annually, there are over 10 haunted places in South Africa. More US and European tourists continue to flock to this African country to enjoy its many tourism offerings. Experts state that South African tourism destinations, including the historically haunted ones, are of great value. You would ask; why would a haunted place attract tourists? Is it worth visiting? This article answers all this. Read on and find out.
Table of Contents
Which are the Haunted Places in South Africa?
Diversity is an intriguing piece of the puzzle when looking at some of the troubled places in the South. They range from parks to hospitals; historical buildings and hotels. Here are the haunted places in South Africa you should visit.
- Castle of Good Hope
- Kempton Park Hospital
- Robben Island
- The Haunted Karoo
- Cape Town Slave Lodge
- Matjiesfontein
- Fort Frederick
- The Lighthouse at Danger Point
- Blyde River Canyon
- Nottingham Road Hotel
1. Castle of Good Hope
Governor Pieter Gysbert van Noodt has everything to do with the haunted nature of the Castle of Good Hope. Historical accounts suggest that the castle was a place of homicide back in the 18th century Many people lost their lives here on the governor’s command. There are reports of spontaneous cold breezes sweeping through the castle accompanied by footsteps and whispers.
2. Kempton Park Hospital
Kempton Park Hospital has a dark history among the haunted places in South Africa. André Esterhuizen, a pediatric specialist reportedly led to the demise of over 100 babies over three decades ago. The hospital was then shut down in 1996 and remains abandoned to date. It has an eerie atmosphere with strange noises and movements reported in the past.
3. Robben Island
Robben Island prison in South Africa. Photo/Britannica
Robben Island was a detention centre for political prisoners back in the 70s’, 80s’ and 90s’. Nelson Mandela (the late South African President and pan-Africanist) spent 18 years of his life incarcerated at Robben Island Prison. He makes it one of the haunted places in South Africa. This island prison was a place of torture and death. Reports suggest that it has an aura of strangeness with screams and footsteps being heard in the prison corridors.
4. The Haunted Karoo
The biggest irony about Karoo is that it’s a beautiful place to see despite being semi-arid. Though quiet, legends go that it’s a place for ghosts passed down to generations. They purportedly thrive in this harsh environment.
5. Cape Town Slave Lodge
As the name suggests, Cape Town Slave Lodge is a haunted place. It was a slave detention centre in the pre-colonial era. Some visitors’ accounts detail that the lodge has a ghost-like feeling.
6. Matjiesfontein
Matjiesfontein in South Africa. Photo/Daily maverick
Matjiesfontein retains its status as a military town. The British set camp in this small town in the Anglo-Boer War era and did horrible things at Lord Milner Hotel. The aftereffect is feeling like ghosts are all over the hotel and town. Further, this Victorian-style hotel has a ghost appearance of a woman donned in a blue dress allegedly patrolling the hotel’s corridors. Staff at Lord Miler Hotel have in the past reported hearing footsteps, whispers and doors creaking which they attribute to the ghost spirit traveller.
7. Fort Frederick
The collapse of Fort Frederick – also known as Port Elizabeth – during its construction squarely puts it among haunted places in South Africa. Dozens of soldiers lost their lives when the fort tumbled down. Screams and an air of mystery allegedly rule the fort over a century later.
8. The Lighthouse at Danger Point
According to history, “Danger Point” stems from the loss of sailors whose ship got wrecked while approaching the lighthouse. Hitherto, their spirits trouble the coastline with aggressive waves seen as a message of anger by the departed sailors.
9. Blyde River Canyon
The Blyde River in Panorama route. Photo/ Rhino Africa.
Blyde River Canyon is one of the best tourist destinations to visit in South Africa. The canyon is an amazing sight to see but is surprisingly among the haunted places in South Africa. The canyons according to local historians, house nocturnal ghosts. They [ghosts] patrol every inch of the canyon at night.
10. Nottingham Road Hotel
Nottingham Road Hotel is in the KwaZulu-Natal region. Its ghost stories emanate from Charlotte, a ghostly woman said to roam the hotel. She ended her life at this hotel where she worked as a waitress after falling in love with a soldier fighting in the Second Anglo-Boer War. It’s not clear if the soldier failed to return her love or he perished in the way. However, her decision to take away her life by jumping off the hotel’s balcony was linked to love. A ghostly figure supposedly appears in room 10 whose balcony she jumped off.
What is the Most Haunted Place in Cape Town?
The Castle of Good Hope is the most haunted place in Cape Town. The castle built in the 17th century has dark memories that feed ‘ghosts’ in it. It was a place of suffering where slaves were treated inhumanely and shipped off overseas. Some visitors who have visited the castle report that they felt uneasy as soon as they walked in.
