Tokai Manor House

Ghost stories
The story of Tokai Manor House begins in 1792. The land was first granted to Johan Rauch, who soon sold it to Andries Teubes, who was eager to establish a legacy. So he commissioned renowned architect Louis Michel Thibault to design a house that would become one of the Cape’s most outstanding homesteads. Thibault designed a home with unique features such as a raised front stoep and one of the earliest rectangular pediments in Cape architecture.
However, this ambition came at a great financial cost, and by 1799, he was bankrupt. The estate changed hands several times before being purchased in 1802 by Petrus Eksteen.
The Eksteen family was known for their wealth and extravagant lifestyle. Under their ownership, Tokai Manor house became a social hub. They held lavish parties regularly. One year in the late 1900s, they threw a wild, drunken New Year’s party. That year, young Frederick Eksteen was challenged to ride his horse into the living room. He did this to great applause, but because of the rowdy guests, the horse was spooked, and it tumbled down the stairs on the veranda.

Frederick was dragged to his death. The horse also died. Since that date, workers at the manor house have reported hearing sounds of partying and the hooves of horses. Some have even claimed to have seen a man on horseback galloping around late at night, particularly at the new year. Forestry workers and nearby residents have also claimed to see a rider on horseback appearing briefly before disappearing into the night

In 1883, the colonial government purchased Tokai Manor House and repurposed it as a reformatory. The once grand estate fell into disrepair over the years, but was restored in the 1960s and declared a National Monument in 1961.

It later came under the control of SANParks, which intended to use it as its Table Mountain National Park headquarters; however, the building remained vacant for some time.

The Table Mountain National Park’s Admin Head Office (formerly the Westlake Office) has now moved to the Tokai Manor House, Tokai Road. Tel: 021 741 2329. Today, the building is used as offices and is not open to the public.

The ghostly reputation remains, with people drawn by tales of spectral riders, phantom hooves, and eerie sounds emanating from within its walls.

Address: Porter Reform Estate, Tokai Ro

Tokai

Updated october 2025

 

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Tokai Manor House