20/06/2024
**A Haunting Tale from St. Elmo’s Convent: A Ghost Hunter’s Paradise**
Back in the ’70s, St. Elmo’s Convent sat prominently on its hill in Umzumbe along the old road to Port Shepstone. This abandoned monastery, built in stages from 1918 until 1939, once served as a Roman Catholic convent, a retreat for nuns of the Third Order of St. Dominic, and a school for children. Forced to close in 1994 due to government subsidy cuts, the site now lies in ruins, but its legacy endures in an eerie and spectral form.
For those brave enough to venture inside, the experience is nothing short of chilling. At the top of the stairs, two blue and white walls guard the entry to rooms once used by altar boys, priests, and nuns. It is here that a Spirit Box app recently lit up to red, the screen filling with the sound of an unearthly scream—a terrifying confirmation of the paranormal activity that haunts these halls.
Described as a ghost hunter’s paradise, St. Elmo’s is reputedly haunted by the apparitions of a priest and a nun, who have been seen both within the buildings and staring out of the windows. There are also reports of a ghostly child whose presence is marked not by sight, but by a sudden and steep drop in temperature, so drastic that one's breath becomes visible.
Visitors have also reported unexplained mists, disembodied voices, phantom footsteps, electrical disturbances, light anomalies, objects moving on their own, the sound of heavy breathing, and the unmistakable feeling of being watched. The once-sacred site, now marred by decay and destruction, is alive with restless spirits seeking solace.
Today, only the ruins and these poor restless souls remain, making St. Elmo’s Convent a must-visit for those intrigued by the paranormal.
Credit: Lindsay Slogrove / IOL
Photo credit: Thomas Slogrove