De Rust Heritage Trust

The De Rust Heritage Trust was founded in 2008 by a number of residents who were concerned about preserving the unique Heritage of De Rust. This was following the heightened concern both in South Africa and globally on the preservation of “Heritage Sensitive Areas” and how to maximise their value to both the local and other communities. De Rust has a number of registered provincial heritage buildings in the Western Cape including the “Old Mill” at Voelgesang and the historic Dutch Reformed Church in the Village consecrated in 1902. Added to these, of the over 300 residential stands in the Village over 95% are Victorian style buildings built in the early 1900s. Many of these buildings have been well maintained and preserved over the years and there is an increasing interest by incoming new residents in upgrading existing buildings that require sympathetic restoration to bring them back to their former glory. The above provides an excellent reason for preserving the “Historic Heritage Roots of De Rust” along similar lines to those of neighbouring Prince Albert.