Once upon a time…in Beaufort West

I visited this old farm in Beaufort West recently with my son. This farm demonstrates how quickly dreams can die in the Karoo.

A tired security guard was sitting on an old plastic chair. He is trying to prevent more people from stealing stuff from the farm.

At one time this must have been a successful farm judging from the huge old house and outside dwellings. Kids were swinging, playing and laughing between the dry Karoo “bossies”. I don’t know what happened, but the farmer left and the municipality now owns the farm.

They let it out for a few years to a friend of mine, Jannie Engelbrecht. Jannie ran a very successful drug rehab from here until the boreholes all dried up and he was forced to move away from the farm. Another dream shattered.

But After recent rains the huge dam on the farm is full and people in a motorboat is crisscrossing over the water. If only Jannie could foresee the future and hold out for 7 or 8 months.

But in life you never know what tomorrow will bring.

This farm is just another story of fighting for survival in the Karoo that is always struggling to have enough water.

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