Grootboom Cave

About Grootboom Cave

Grootboom Cave, located along the M18 in Doringkloof, Centurion, is a historically significant and ecologically sensitive dolomite sinkhole. In the 1820s, it served as a tragic refuge for the Bakwena people, who were reportedly suffocated inside by Mzilikazi’s invading forces during the Mfecane. Today, the cave is home to a massive native bat colony, making it a critical, specialized field site for researchers from the University of Pretoria and the CDC to study wildlife-borne pathogens and viral outbreak prevention. Due to severe biological hazards like histoplasmosis and rabies, alongside the physical dangers of the steep sinkhole drop-off, public access is strictly restricted, preserving the site for scientific research and ecological monitoring.