Rustenburg Central, Rustenburg

Rustenburg is situated in the North West province due west of Pretoria. Property and real estate investors in Rustenburg have a large range of properties to select from including large houses, small homes, apartments, security villages and cluster developments. This largish country centre, basking sleepily in the sun at the western end of the lovely Magaliesberg range of hills, has rather a special place in the story of the Voortrekkers. It was here that the two rival factions of the 19th-century trekker community made their peace with each other, and here that the Reformed Church was founded.

From the 1860s, too, the area was home to Paul Kruger, later to become republican Transvaal's president and 'father' of the Afrikaner people.

Rustenburg means 'town of rest', and aptly so. It's a quiet place, pleasant on the eye, its streets and gardens bright with the vibrant colours of frangipani, jacaranda, flame tree, poinsettia, hibiscus and great tumbles of bougainvillea. Just outside town, though, peace and beauty give way to the fierce energy of primary industry. The area's platinum-group mines are the world's largest of their kind.

Rustenburg is also the hub of a flourishing agricultural region that yields fine crops of maize, wheat, tobacco, cotton fruit, vegetables and cut flowers destined for the rich markets of the Pretoria-Johannesburg area to the east.

The Rustenburg Nature Reserve is a grand expanse of hillside and valley cut through by upland streams and graced by a wealth of indigenous flora. The landscapes, and some of the views, are spectacular. The terrain is a paradise for walkers, botanists and bird-watchers - 230 avian species have been recorded, including some splendid raptors. It's also home to mountain reedbuck, oribi, kudu, klipspringer and other antelope, and to jackals and the elusive leopard.

The nearby Magaliesburg mountains run a good 120 kilometres eastwards to and beyond the Pretoria area. It's a fairly low ridge, but it has a mostly gentle, sometimes spectacular beauty all of its own. The climate is marvellous, the countryside blessed by a yearly average of nine sun-filled hours a day, and generous rainfall enriches the plant life and feeds numerous small rivers and streams.

It's well worth exploring the uplands, either on a day-drive or along one of the walking trails. There's good bird watching too; look out for the endangered Cape vulture in the skies above.

Seeff Rustenberg can assist you with a wide selection of residential property for sale and rental including villas, houses, apartments, cluster developments, security villages, land and guesthouses.