De Rust lies between the Swartberg (pictured) and the Kamanassie Mountains to the south. The entrance to Meiringspoort is between two foothills just beyond the town (the road visible here is the R341 to Willowmore). This photograph, taken from the De Rust Koppie, shows the section of the town that you wouldn’t see if you’re only passing through. The photo on page 25 shows the town from a different angle.
Despite being named Town of the Year by the kykNET magazine programme Kwêla 11 years ago, De Rust is still a place that many South Africans only pass through. It is – excuse my language – a damn shame.
Since receiving that accolade, a number of people have discovered it as a place to stretch their legs, refill the fuel tank, and get a coffee or a bite to eat on their way to somewhere else. A smaller number of people have spent the night in De Rust, usually also on their way to another destination.
It’s as though the town was made for this purpose: Schoeman Street, a roughly 1km section of the N12 that runs through the town, gives the impression of an intestine designed to whisk things away as fast as possible. What’s more, almost all the town’s businesses are situated along this broad street, which is lined with trees and a charming Karoo hotchpotch of shops, eateries, overnight accommodation places and private homes. Far too few motorists turn down the side streets where the greater part of the town – and more lovely Victorian and Karoostyle homes – lie “hidden”.Yet, if you test the residents’ response
