In the Karoo, business survives on trust, not traffic
Entrepreneurs succeed through adaptability and strong community ties that stretch far beyond the quiet streets of small towns.
Naomi Roebert
The borehole gamble
The borehole is not a silver bullet, but it is one tool in a wider strategy of survival.
Welcome to the WhatsApp town
In small Karoo towns, the real town square is now inside a green chat bubble. From stock theft alerts to school politics and whispered rumours, local WhatsApp groups affect reputation, resolve disputes and sometimes fuel panic and the most fascinating theatre takes place when conflict erupts.
How global conflict reaches the Karoo farm gate
A war involving Iran has already pushed global oil prices higher and strengthened the US dollar. This article explores how these changes in oil and currency markets could affect the rand-to-dollar exchange rate alongside farm costs and export prices for wool, mohair and meat in the Karoo.
The tiny birds that make the Karoo sing
Autumn in the Karoo slips in through softened birdsong, subtle plumage changes and the departure of summer migrants. Tiny birds are ecological workers as well as seasonal storytellers and here is how they signal the season’s shift.
Why Karoo people are good at waiting rooms
The city idea that time equals entitlement does not survive its first Karoo appointment.
United Nations support elevates a local solution to a global model
The initiative could not only transform the Karoo’s environment but also offer a blueprint for how degraded lands in other arid and semi-arid regions can be brought back to life.