Uit die Blou, Babylonstoren and Bekker

Koos Bekker of Naspers fame has not just invested in property, he has also financed luxurious heritage and created jobs

- Ask Ash Ash Müller

acobus Petrus “Koos” Bekker is a legendary South African business person and the chair of Naspers.

Many know him for his business moves in the media; he was the driving force behind the success of M-Net, MultiChoice and Naspers. I read his unauthorised biography (Koos Bekker’s Billions by TJ Strydom) and what truly put him on the dollar billionaire stage was his $34 million stake in Tencent in 2001, which is now valued at $140 billion.

But behind the boardrooms, Bekker, who was born in Potchefstroom on 14 December 1952, has quietly built one of the most luxurious international property portfolios.

His real estate investments have had a significant effect in South Africa and have positively influenced our hospitality sector.

His drive for job creation, tourism and philanthropy should be celebrated.

Bekker’s journey from media titan to hospitality visionary has reshaped luxury rural tourism in South Africa. It showcases a seamless fusion of garden design, culinary excellence and heritage preservation.

His South African property portfolio includes masters in taste, timing and terrain, starting with the farm that took first place as the crème de la crème in the Cape Winelands hospitality industry — Babylonstoren.

Koos and his wife, former Elle Décor editor Karen Roos, bought Babylonstoren in 2007. It wasn’t some flashy impulse buy; it was an old Cape Dutch farm dating back to 1692, complete with whitewashed walls and orchards that needed love.

They turned it into a hotel hybrid, one of the most sought-after luxury stays in South Africa. The Babylonstoren Farm Hotel, cottages and manor house are surrounded by expansive edible gardens, award-winning wines, a world-class spa, a glasshouse restaurant and seasonal menus straight from the land.