Does every home have just one set of owners who are perfectly and uniquely suited to it? It’s a romantic notion perhaps, but sometimes it really does seem to be true. For example, this heritage house in one of Joburg’s northern suburbs and its owners — Jane Waters and Brandon de Beer — must surely have been destined for one another.

Jane explains that while the full history of their home’s origins isn’t known, it is clear from deeds records that the building is about 170 years old, and it seems it was probably originally a hunting lodge on one of the large farms in the area. Such farms predated the existence of the city itself, of course — it’s quite difficult to imagine now, but the huge metropolis that is contemporary Joburg was founded a mere 135 years ago...