If you ever wanted to own a small town, here’s your opportunity. A specialised South African property agency and auctioneer recently announced that the town of Middelpos in the Northern Cape will be going on auction on 21 May. This is your one opportunity to own your own authentic Karoo village.
Photo: Home & Hectare
“With its tranquil, enchanting atmosphere, original character and charm, it retains the cultural heritage of long ago, untouched by modern mass tourism,” said Home & Hectare.
If you ever wanted to own a small town, here’s your opportunity
The agency, Home & Hectare, says the lucky buyer will become the owner of a town considered one of the few remaining authentic Karoo villages in the country. The property on sale is 103,260 hectares. It can be developed for either business or residential use. Other options include tourism and manufacturing.
Photo: Home & Hectare
A small town halfway between Sutherland and Calvinia
You will find the town halfway between Sutherland and Calvinia on the road called the R354. This places it in the Northern Cape province.
Here is a list of some of the things you will be buying:
There is a hotel. You will also find a shop. There are 3 homes in good condition. Water you will be able to get from a strong borehole. To hold functions, meetings or similar types of events, there’s also a hall. If you needed a factory, there is such a building, and what is a small, authentic town without an old post office? Irrigable land on the property is about 4.75 ha.
Photo: Home & Hectare
Day visitors and overnight tourists
The auctioneers say the town is the closest town to the Tankwa Karoo National Park. It thus sees a constant stream of day visitors and overnight tourists. Bids can be made from 21 May 2026 @ 12:00. The last bids must be in by 22 May 2026 @ 12:00. It will be an online auction. The property agency, Home & Hectare, focuses on agricultural, residential, and commercial real estate.
A new report from Autotrader in the UK has found that a 300km stretch of the N2 in the Garden Route has the most “perfect driving conditions” in the world, which might inspire more tourists and road trippers to visit South Africa.
Autotrader partnered with senior Meteorologist and founder of British Weather Services, Jim Dale, to create a Perfect Driving Weather Score, ranking the Top 10 roads in the world.
They used a range of factors to define the perfect conditions for a road trip, including humidity, ground temperature, number of clear days, visibility quality and wind speed.
Using historical weather data, it was revealed that the route between Mossel Bay and Storms River provides the most ideal climate conditions. This stretch of the N2 beat out the famous Route 66 in the USA and the Amalfi Coastal Road in Italy, with a score of 90.6 out of 100 in the index.
Dale explains why South Africa came out tops:
“Between Mossel Bay and Storms River, this 300 km stretch of road consistently delivers what we all dream of when we hit the road; clear skies for most of the year, which give drivers the opportunity to take in the views of the Indian Ocean Coast, gentle winds and comfortable temperatures. The Garden Route takes you from ocean, to forest, to mountains and is as close to perfect as driving weather gets.”
SANParks has welcomed the ranking, highlighting some of the stunning scenery available on this route, and opportunities to overnight and explore the area, which encompasses the Garden Route National Park.
The Head of Communications, JP Louw, has encouraged visitors to experience this globally recognised route, which includes the Wilderness Section, known for its calm waterways, birdlife, forest cabins, and outdoor activities such as canoeing and mountain biking.
“The Knysna Section offers access to estuarine and forest environments, with activities including visits to the Thesen Island area to see the endangered Knysna seahorse, as well as forest trails in Diepwalle and scenic viewpoints.
The Tsitsikamma Section features rugged coastal scenery at Storms River Mouth, with accommodation options, camping sites, and access to the famous suspension bridge.
The Garden Route National Park remains a key part of this internationally recognised route, offering diverse landscapes where forests, rivers, mountains, and coastline meet.”
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Storms River Mouth Rest Camp in the Tsitsikamma Section of the Garden Route National Park.
Hiking trails in Harkeville, Knysna Section
Canoe activity in the Knysna Estuary
Kayak and Lilo activity at the Storms River Mouth Rest Camp, Tsitsikamma
Knysna Seahorse
America’s most iconic road, Route 66, takes the second spot worldwide with a Perfect Driving Weather score of 87.3, with California’s Pacific Coast Highway in third, delivering a score of 86.1.
Rounding off the Top 5 is Italy’s Amalfi Coast in fourth, with a score of 81 out of 100 on the Perfect Driving Weather score, followed by Costa Brava’s Coastal Roads in Spain.
With the Garden Route on our doorstep, it might just inspire your next road trip! Which other roads in the Western Cape (or South Africa) would you consider road trip worthy?
A police investigation is underway after the Glenhaven home of alleged underworld figure, Jerome “Donkie” Booysen, was robbed.
Armed robbers allegedly broke into the home before midday yesterday and tied up the domestic worker, who was at the home alone.
It is believed the robbers posed as police officers.
Jewellery, cash and a CCTV control box were reportedly among the items stolen before the suspects fled.
Booysen told News24 that the suspects also “tried to open the big safe, but only managed to open the small one, where they took the jewellery and money”.
“Investigation continues regarding items that was stolen,” confirmed Western Cape SAPS spokesperson, Captain F.C. Van Wyk.
Booysen is said to have been appearing in the Western Cape High Court at the time, where he is on trial as one of the accused in the murder of Brian Wainstein.
“The homeowner was not present at the house at time of the incident,” said Van Wyk.
Bellville South police confirmed that no injuries were reported and that the suspects are all unidentified men.
“Bellville South police registered a house robbery case following an incident on Tuesday, 2026-04-21 at 11:05 at a premises in Glenhaven, Bellville South,” noted Van Wyk.
Sunday afternoon’s road rage incident in Emmarentia, where a father was killed, and his wife was wounded while their children watched, is shining a light on road rage in South Africa again.
Outrage, shock and questionable statistics resulted, but none address the root cause of the problem.
Road rage is rarely about the other vehicle. The CEO of MasterDrive, Eugene Herbert, expands:
“Instead, the vehicle ahead represents emotional and cognitive overload. Congestion, deteriorating infrastructure, and the daily accumulation of stress create highly-strung drivers. By the time a minor bumper-bashing occurs, many drivers are already at capacity.
“The collision is perceived as disrespect, and when combined with a refusal to back down, it triggers an aggressive response. The Emmarentia incident is a testament to this exact dynamic: a minor collision quickly escalated with consequences that irreversibly changed lives.”
A preventative cognitive spiral precedes the first punch. “Driver training should include understanding emotional regulation as well. An essential part of road safety is recognising mental overload and how to disengage before perceived disrespect spirals out of control.
“When a driver perceives a threat or insult, the part of the brain that controls emotions fires before rationality can intervene. Drivers do not make a decision in that moment, but are reacting. The goal of psychological driver education is to close that gap,” says Herbert.
Awareness
Drivers who identify their own emotional state before they reach the road are significantly better equipped to resist provocation. Do a simple pre-drive reset where you acknowledge your emotions and consciously choose to leave it outside the vehicle.
Reframing
Road rage is often fuelled by the assumption that another driver’s behaviour was directed at you specifically. Yet normally, they have already forgotten about you. Change the story you tell yourself to change the outcome.
Breathe
Slow, deliberate breathing activates the parasympathetic nervous system, counteracting the stress response. Loosen your grip on the steering wheel, relax your jaw and shoulders, and reduce your speed. These become physiological anchors that help de-escalate the situation.
Space
Increase your following distances. It is the single most effective physical action to de-escalate because it removes you from the situation before it compounds.
Unverifiable statistics
Circulation of unverifiable figures compounds the problem. “Some reports claim more than 1 000 people died in road rage incidents in South Africa in 2026, with no source cited.
Another reference over 1 200 deaths, likely drawn from a statistic recording 1 272 attempted murders associated with ‘road rage, arguments, or provocation.’ This is a broad category, not isolated to road rage only.
“Irresponsible statistic use causes harm. When motorists absorb inflated fear-based data, it worsens the emotional and cognitive overload already being carried, making ignoring the situation that much more difficult,” says Herbert.
Emmarentia should serve as an inflection point: a moment for South Africa to acknowledge that driver training should embrace a holistic approach to road safety where emotional regulation is treated as seriously as any technical skill.
A snippet from a video by one of the bystanders on the scene of the road rage incident in Emmarentia, Johannesburg.
A man arrested for the murder of another man in a road rage incident in Emmarentia, Johannesburg, will not be prosecuted for now.
The incident unfolded on Sunday, when an altercation ensued between the drivers of two separate vehicles. The deceased’s wife had allegedly gone to fetch a firearm from the vehicle when the other driver took his weapon and opened fire.
The one driver was fatally shot, while his wife sustained gunshot wounds and was hospitalised.
Videos taken by bystanders to the incident have since been doing the rounds on social media.
The 58-year-old shooter was arrested and meant to appear in court on Tuesday on a charge of murder and attempted murder.
However, after several hours, the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) confirmed that it would not enrol the case. It noted that further investigation was needed to gather all the facts in the matter.
“This decision follows a thorough assessment of the evidence currently before the prosecution. It was determined that further investigations are required to ensure that all relevant facts are properly canvassed before a decision to prosecute can be made,” read the NPA’s statement.
The NPA’s Magaboke Mohlatlole intially broke the news to media outside the Johannesburg Magistartes Court, with the authority later sharing a statement.
“The matter remains under active investigation, and the NPA has directed that additional evidence be gathered to strengthen the case. Once the investigation has been finalised, a decision will be taken on whether to proceed with prosecution,” read the statement.
There are reports that another suspect would be charged in the matter, but this has not been confirmed by official authorities.
