Popular shopping market in South Africa’s billionaire town closes down

The popular Stellenbosch market, Root44, has announced that it will be shut down until further notice.

The Root44 Market, located along the R44 road between Stellenbosch and Somerset West, was founded in 2012.

The market is located on Audacia farm in Stellenbosch, a millionaire hotspot surrounded by wine estates, including the historic Rust en Vrede.

Its roots can be traced to prominent businessmen, such as billionaire banker Paul Harris, who co-owned the farm with farmer Trevor Strydom.

It quickly became a popular weekend attraction, featuring food vendors, global cuisines, craft stalls, a parkrun route, and live music.

This made the Root44 Market a popular attraction among Stellenbosch residents, South African visitors, and international tourists.

Between 2019 and 2021, the market underwent a R200 million overhaul by developer Dax Hunt, replacing the rustic market tents with a multi-story facility.

This added to the appeal of the Root44 Market, which offered visitors a great place to enjoy food, wine, and live music.

However, over the past few years, the property has been mired in controversy due to disputes with the Stellenbosch Municipality over land-use rights.

Original development rights were granted in 2009 to develop a small tourist destination, the Root44 Wine Emporium, showcasing wines from local farms.

In 2012, there was a further application to use the land for retail purposes. This was granted, and it became the Root44 Market.

When the developers sought to make the market a permanent feature in 2017, the municipality allowed it on the condition that the original Wine Emporium plans be dropped.

According to the municipality, the developers disregarded this and continued to establish both facilities, opening the Wine Emporium in 2020.

As the development grew in popularity, more disputes arose, with complaints from the surrounding community about noise and the disruption of the peace.

The Root44 Market closes down

Last year, the Root44 Market and wine emporium was put up for sale in an exclusive, sealed-bidding process this month.

Real estate experts noted that any incoming investor would face the steep challenge of resolving the underlying rezoning issues with the local council.

The fine-dining restaurant on the upper level was closed earlier this month. “It is with a heavy heart that we announce the permanent closure of Root44 Restaurant,” it said.

The management said that the Root44 Market remained open and that they looked forward to welcoming people to the venue.

However, on 30 June 2026, Root44’s management announced that the whole market would be shut down.

“It is with great sadness that we announce that Root44 will be closed until further notice,” the Root44 Market said in a statement.

“This decision has not been made lightly. Sadly, jobs have been lost, dreams have been affected, and many families will feel the impact.”

“Despite our efforts, we have received no support from the Stellenbosch Municipality during this difficult time.”

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Root44 Market photos

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