"Best Real Estate": Garden Route Man Has Lived in a Cave for 18 Years in Video

• Clifford Brandon has called a cave along South Africa's Garden Route home for nearly two decades, welcoming strangers who have nowhere else to go
• Filmmaker Josh visited Clifford in Wilderness to understand what drove him from a privileged upbringing to life completely off the grid
• Locals shared their thoughts on the cave-dweller, but many credit him with helping people turn their lives around

Clifford Brandon gave up everything and moved into a cave. That was 18 years ago, and he has not looked back since.

The cave, tucked along a dramatic stretch of the Garden Route near Wilderness, was once home to a restaurant called Kaiman's Grotto. Heavy rains caused mudslides and rockfalls around 2006, forcing the previous owner to shut it down. Clifford arrived shortly after and has not left.

Filmmaker Josh, who goes by @Joshwideawake on social media, spent time with Clifford. He also met the people living alongside him to understand what draws someone to that kind of life and what keeps them there.

Read also

Inside one of Hillbrow's most feared buildings: SA man's walkthrough leaves Mzansi stunned

Community thrives in Garden Route cliffs

Clifford did not grow up in poverty. His mother ran several hotels, including properties in Cape Town, and the family was well known in those circles. But after a difficult period living on the streets of Cape Town, he joined his brother's ministry and spent years working with the homeless and those struggling with addiction. He says that after praying for a place to call his own, God directed him to Wilderness and told him to give away all his belongings before going.

Clifford told Josh during the tour:

"When God brought me here, Father said you have to separate the holy section from the common section,".

He claims the land the cave sits on is worth more than R25 million, calling it the best real estate on the Garden Route. The cave has been transformed over the years into an unconventional home, complete with ten beds in what Clifford calls the holy section, artwork, candles and collected belongings inherited after his mother passed away. He earns an income by giving tours to curious visitors, who are asked to leave a donation.

Read also

“He loves it”: Johannesburg man makes morning coffee for his 15-year-old cheetah Zeus every day

Clifford is not alone. Several people share the cave with him at any given time, including his sister and her partner, and a nearly blind former sailor named Peter who has been there for a year. Clifford's own sister lived there for 13 years after losing her son and going through a personal crisis. A local lodge worker told Josh that Clifford is generally accepted in the community, describing the cave as a place where broken people are quietly put back together before moving on with their lives.

Watch Josh's full documentary inside Clifford's cave below:

SA discusses man in cave

South Africans who watched the video shared their thoughts:

Mike Woody Wood said:

"Probably more sane than most of us."

Shaun Hougaard wrote:

"The man might have had a strong drink before the interview."

Dorijn Olivier Verwey shared:

"Amazing documentary. I lived there and found God like never before."

Nydene Smit added:

"My brother lived there with Clifford for over a year. We went to visit one weekend, and the cave is an absolute must to see."

Oscar Oliphant said:

"Fascinating story. He hurts no one and helps others. He's cool."

Nus Isma-hero recalled:

"Stumbled upon them back in 2016 taking a walk through the old tracks to the beach."

Other Briefly News stories about people

• A heartwarming TikTok video showed a couple joyfully celebrating their first home together, a simple shack in South Africa.
• Zimbabwean creator @thenjiemancue showed her village home and challenged the stereotype of rural living, which inspired South Africans to embrace their rural family homes.
• A South African woman's surprising encounter with squatter camps in Italy highlighted the stark reality of global poverty.

Source: Briefly News