The Phantom Hitchhiker of Uniondale

On the road between Willowmore and Uniondale in South Africa’s Karoo region, drivers have reported encounters with a phantom hitchhiker since 1968. The ghost is believed to be Maria Charlotte Roux, who died in a car crash on that road on April 12, 1968. Her spirit reportedly appears on the anniversary of her death and during rainy weather.

Maria Charlotte Roux

On Easter weekend 1968, Maria Roux was traveling with her fiancé on the road near Uniondale when their motorcycle crashed. Her fiancé survived, but Maria died at the scene. She was twenty years old.

The road where she died is isolated, winding through the Karoo’s semi-desert landscape. There are few buildings and little traffic, particularly at night.

The First Encounter

The first recorded sighting came in 1976, when Anton le Grange, a young corporal in the South African Air Force, stopped to pick up a young woman standing by the road. She got on the back of his motorcycle, and he provided her with a spare helmet.

After driving for some distance, le Grange became aware that something was wrong. The motorcycle felt lighter. He stopped and turned to find the seat empty. The helmet was still on the back of the motorcycle, its strap fastened.

Le Grange was so disturbed by the experience that he reported it to police. His account was the first of many.

Subsequent Sightings

Over the following decades, multiple drivers have reported similar encounters. The woman is typically described as young, with dark hair, wearing dark clothing. She appears by the roadside, is given a ride, and vanishes during the journey.

Some drivers have stopped for her only to have her disappear before reaching the vehicle. Others have seen her in their headlights and stopped, finding no one there.

The encounters cluster around the anniversary of Maria’s death and during rainy weather similar to conditions on the night she died.

Investigation

South African researchers have investigated the case, interviewing witnesses and documenting sightings. The descriptions are consistent: a young woman, dark-haired, wearing dark clothes, appearing on the isolated stretch of road near Uniondale.

Some witnesses knew nothing of the legend before their encounter and only learned of it afterward. Others were aware of the story but believed their experience was genuine regardless.

Memorial

A memorial marker stands near the site of Maria’s death. Some visitors leave flowers. The road has become something of a tourist attraction for those interested in the paranormal, with the Uniondale phantom considered one of South Africa’s most famous ghosts.

Assessment

The Phantom Hitchhiker of Uniondale fits a worldwide pattern of vanishing hitchhiker legends, but the identification of the ghost with a specific, documented death gives it unusual concreteness. Maria Roux was real, her death on that road is documented, and the encounters began shortly after her death.

Whether drivers genuinely encounter her spirit, whether the legend creates expectations that transform ordinary experiences into ghost sightings, or whether something else explains the consistent reports, Maria’s ghost continues to walk that lonely road, waiting for a ride home.