This paper reports on a new species of mite of the genus Gaeolaelaps from South Africa — Gaeolaelaps olszanowskiisp. nov. collected from soil in grassland. The new species is described based on morphological characters of the adult female. The new species is characterised by a number of exceptional characters in the genus: dorsal shield with 36 pairs of setae, genital shield drop-shaped, markedly expanded laterally past level of setae st5, subcapitulum with irregularly denticulate lines projecting outward from hypostomal groove, deutosternal rows with only 2–5 denticles, genua of legs II and III with only ten and eight setae, respectively (usually with 11 and nine setae, respectively). However, the chelicerae, internal malae and labrum of this new species are similar to freeliving forms, suggesting that it may be a predator of small invertebrates living in soil.