Inside KwaZulu-Natal's haunted houses and places
Do you ever feel like somebody's watching you when you visit these places in Durban and surrounding areas?
The lights are on, but nobody's home - most of the time.
KwaZulu-Natal is known for many myths and legends, but none are as spooky as the ghosts that allegedly haunt several houses and places in the province.
A recent post on Durban's History and Stories opened a spooky can of worms about KZN's haunted houses and places.
The stories were eyebrow-raising. In the words of Rockwell, "I always feel like somebody's watchin' me".
Highway Sheila
We don't know who Sheila is, and why she is haunting a highway in Durban, but according to alleged eyewitness accounts, Highway Sheila is the real deal.
The ghost is said to roam a stretch of Higginson Highway in the Chatsworth area. "Sheila has been haunting people there for decades," one person swears on Facebook.
"Sheila [has] taken enough lives," a second person added.
Despite the claims, we have yet to see any photographic or video evidence of said Sheila, but that hasn't stopped people's imaginations from running wild.
Local filmmakers have also turned the urban legend into movies such as 'The Curse of Highway Sheila' and 'Highway Sheila: Resurrection'.
Be gone, Highway Sheila!
Nottingham Road Hotel
Nottingham Road Hotel is one of KwaZulu-Natal's most loved hotels, and not just because of its famous lamb curry pie.
It's a popular venue for a Mother's Day lunch or Friday night out with friends, but just before Halloween, the whispers start again: 'Have you heard about Charlotte the Ghost?'
According to legend, the hotel - whose history dates as far back as 1855 - is haunted by a woman named Charlotte.
"Room 10 specifically. There's a woman's spirit in there. I didn't believe in ghosts till I went there," a woman claimed on Facebook.
Nottingham Road Hotel embraces the legend.
"Like all hotels with a history, Notties Hotel is reputed to be haunted. In the past, guests and staff have reported that the spirit of a woman roams the hotel (especially room 10) and its grounds," its website states.
You will be relieved to know that just like 'Casper the Friendly Ghost', Charlotte is not the scary kind.
"This house-proud, gentle ghost apparently moves flower arrangements, tidies away clothes and straightens bedding. Legend has it that she is ‘Charlotte’, a lady of loose morals or a chamber maid depending on the source of the tale, who apparently threw herself to her death over the balcony outside her room after being jilted. Or was she pushed?"
We only get good food and good people vibes from Notties Hotel, but who are we to debunk a good ghost story?
READ MORE: The haunting tale of 'Charlotte the Ghost'
Macrorie House
Ask anyone in Pietermaritzburg about the 'Lady in White' at Macrorie house, and they will stop dead in their tracks.
Legend has it that the mysterious 'Lady in White' was involved in a messy love affair.
"The Lady in White, who supposedly lives at Macrorie House, is believed to be the wife of the head warder of the jail in Burger Street and was having an affair with someone at Government House. The lovers met in an underground tunnel and were killed by the jailer with his bunch of keys under Macrorie House when he found out about their affair," The Witness reported.
Pietermaritzburg might as well be renamed 'Ghost Town', because the amount of ghost stories it is famous for would make Hollywood producers book a first-class ticket to Mzansi.
"My gran lived in Macrorie House, my mom would never visit for long, but I, as a kid, never worried about it," a social media user said.
The haunted house at Westbrook
The haunted 'Ghost House' at Seatides, Westbrook, near Beach Bums restaurant was once filled with the laughter of children
Indian immigrant Gurusamy Veerasamy Naidu reportedly built the North Coast house in the 1960s. However, decades later, the house was abandoned and eventually it... disappeared. Well, not due to paranormal activity, but the dilapidated building was demolished around ten years ago.
The building was allegedly haunted, with many curious locals visiting the site to explore, investigate and take pictures for their latest family photoshoot.
READ: Woman claims ghost ex husband doesn't want her dating men who are alive
Durban's Haunted Putco Bus
According to Newlands East residents, a haunted Putco bus appears at midnight or in the early hours of the morning.
The very old-looking bus allegedly has ghost passengers inside, and even stops to pick up more ghostly commuters. However, if you try to flag it down or approach it, it disappears into thin air.
We have found unconfirmed footage of the bus in question
READ: The place in KwaZulu-Natal where roads are named after fish
Just kidding!
We are not convinced that ghosts actually exist, but they do make for great stories.
But, just in case, don't read this post at night with the lights off.
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