Gandhi House Fails to Find Buyer - 07-28-09

July 28 - If you are interested in owning a piece of history and casually mentioning that you live in the same house once occupied by the iconic Indian figure, Mahatma Gandhi, then head on down to Orchards, north of central Johannesburg to view the house that is fondly known as "The Kraal".

Designed by the architect, Hermann Kallenbach, the rondavel style house was home to Gandhi from 1908 to 1911, where he lived with Kallenbach - his friend and confidant.

For the past 25 years, the house has been owned by Nancy Ball, an American artist who fell in love with the historical importance and architectural beauty of The Kraal.

"He left a lot of his peace here," said Ball. "It's a very special place."

Ball decided that the time was right to retire to Cape Town and enlisted the help of the founder of the Centre of Indian Studies in Africa at Wits, Stephen Gelb, to try and find a buyer for the house among the Indian community, or those who may be interested in preserving the historical significance of the house.

It was even proposed that the University of Witwatersrand buy the property to serve as a residence for visiting professors.

However, whether it has to do with a basic lack of appreciation for the home's history, or the recession, Ball and Gelb were unfortunately unable to find a buyer and the home has now been put on the market.

It is hoped that beyond paying a fair price for the home, buyers will preserve the Gandhi legacy.