Delmas property guide

Delmas at a glance

Delmas, the small farming town just east of Johannesburg, serves a large community of farmers who plant mainly maize, wheat and potatoes. The name of the town comes from the Frenchman Frank Dumat, who originally owned the farm on which the town was laid out and who called it 'de le mas', which means 'of the small farm'.

It is a surprisingly leafy town with a golf course that attracts some attention and various forest plantations on its perimeters. Children play in the suburban streets and most houses are without the six foot walls and additional razor wire that grace so many residences in Johannesburg, which is what makes it an attractive alternative for weekends and time away.

Before 2010 not many people knew exactly where Delmas was, although they have heard the name of this small Mpumalanga town before, but it took the disappearance of a hand reared tiger named Panjo to really put the town on the map.