The ghost of Paul Kruger might just be roaming the streets of Pretoria again.
Pretoria may be South Africa’s political capital by day, but by night, it seems it might also be the capital of the undead. Last month, startled participants on the Pretoria Mystery Ghost Tour swore they saw none other than Paul Kruger himself, cane, shadowy figure, and all.
After claiming to have seen him in a spine-chilling sighting last month, locals and ghost hunters are wondering if the former South African Republic president will make another eerie appearance this Saturday night.
A president returns from beyond the grave?
Mark Rose-Christie, founder of the Mystery Ghost Tours, which run in eight cities, says he’s seen a lot in 25 years, but this shook him.
“Over the years, our guests have only seen ghosts on very few occasions,” he explained. “The first was back in 2003 at the National Arts Festival, when three ghost nuns appeared before 60 guests. But a Paul Kruger sighting? That’s next level.”
A psychic, a walking stick and Kruger’s thick accent
Among those on the tour was a psychic, who claims the apparition was indeed the former president. According to her, Kruger even spoke, telepathically, of course. “South Africa must unite,” he is thought to have said. The only challenge? His thick Boer accent seemed to blur the rest of the message.
Tour guests also reported hearing the pounding of a walking stick on the cobblestones, as if Oom Paul was strolling beside them, possibly annoyed that his name is still debated in politics today.
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Why now? The 200-year mystery
So why would Kruger’s ghost pick 2025 to pop up? Rose-Christie has a theory. This year marks the 200th anniversary of Kruger’s birth. It was also in July and August of 1900 that Kruger faced intense pressure during the Anglo-Boer War.
Paranormal experts call these appearances “anniversary ghosts”, spirits that emerge around significant historical milestones.
Will he show up this weekend?
The next Pretoria Mystery Ghost Tour is set for Saturday, 30 August 2025, and while Rose-Christie refuses to reveal the exact spot of last month’s sighting, saying he doesn’t want a stampede, hopes are high that Kruger may make an encore.
“If he appears again, it will be history literally repeating itself,” Rose-Christie said.
For those brave enough to find out, take a torch, a brave heart… and maybe a translator for Kruger’s accent.
