Weekend Argus (Saturday Edition)
Tankwa Karoo site offers potential to build eco-reserve
RAWSON Auctions Western Cape will this month bring to auction 5 438ha of land sandwiched between the Ceres Karoo and the Cederberg mountains.
The present owners of the property in the Tankwa Karoo area envisaged transforming it into a multi-faceted and self-sufficient eco-reserve and lodge, says Tanya Jovanovski, franchisee of Rawson Auctions Western Cape.
Jovanovski says the sellers’ goal for the proposed venture was to preserve a piece of pristine wilderness and a way of life that is under threat.
“Their aim was to celebrate the mutually beneficial relationship humans enjoy with nature, and rekindle skills practised by early man, like the Khoi San, who, we believe, once lived in this area. The Ceres Karoo is a world environmental ‘hot spot’ with unique animal and plant biodiversity, fascinating geology and plenty of evidence of early human activity.”
The property has been named Aqua Vita, or “water of life”, Jovanovski says.
It gets its name from the Doring River, which flows through the property for more than 12km.
The owners planned to operate Aqua Vita as a business that comprises five core components: eco-development, hospitality, agriculture, recreation and education, she says.
“According to the business plan, the aim of these elements is to ensure the project will flourish as a sustainable and ultimately self-sufficient entity.”
Jovanovski says the sale of the land will include the Aqua Vita business proposal.
The property is about five hours’ drive outside of Cape Town and is accessible by twowheel-drive bakkies or trucks (high-clearance vehicles), 4X4 vehicles and motorbikes.
“There is potential to establish mountain bike, hiking and running trails,” says Jovanovski.
Vegetation on the land has not been grazed by domestic livestock for more than 10 years and has become the natural habitat of many bird and animal species.
Fixtures already on the farm include:
Six-berth caravans fixed in place with side tents.
Decks built out from caravans.
A 12m refrigerated container.
Three boreholes (not equipped).
Two 10 000-litre water tanks.
Permission has been granted to irrigate four hectares of land from the river, Jovanovski says.
The auction will be by silent tender, with written offers to be submitted in sealed envelopes. Tenders will close at noon on June 28. The reserve price is R5.5million, but all offers will be reviewed. The seller is registered for VAT and no transfer duty will be payable. The rates and taxes are R300 a month.
No registration fee is required to bid. The buyer will be expected to pay a deposit of 5% of the purchase price, as well as 10% commission plus VAT over and above the purchase price on the seller’s acceptance of the bid.
Bidders are required to be registered and must have with them certified copies of their identity documents and proof of residence.
All offers should be submitted on Rawson Auctions’ Offer to Purchase form, a copy of which can be obtained by emailing info@ rawsonauctions.com or calling 021 837 1700. Bids can be delivered to Rawson Property Group’s head office at 222 Main Road, Rondebosch, Cape Town.
For details or an appointment to view, call Hans Buys on 082 964 6852 or Tanya Jovanovski on 021 837 1700.