When sudden flash floods tore through Meiringspoort and severely choked traffic through De Rust, the Klein Karoo village refused to sit back and wait for a rescue package. Instead, residents took matters into their own hands, launching the Mal’va De Rust Project to rebuild their local economy around a native floral icon: the malva (geranium).
Community volunteers, business owners, and residents across both De Rust and neighboring Blomnek rolled up their sleeves on Saturday, 15 August. Having already planted 3,000 cuttings over preceding weeks, locals put another 2,000 rooted stems straight into the earth along the main street, public entrances, and residential borders—reaching their initial milestone of 5,000 total malvas planted.
A Botanical Homecoming 300 Years in the Making
The drive celebrates a remarkable piece of local heritage. “Few people realize that the great-great-grandfather of the millions of malvas growing across Europe originates right here in Meiringspoort and the Swartberg mountains,” explains project initiator Freda Schoeman. German botanist Hendrik Oldenland first collected wild specimens from Meiringspoort in 1689, taking them to Europe where thousands of modern cultivated varieties were born.
With passing road traffic stalled by pass repairs, local business owners recognized that survival meant turning De Rust from a brief pass-through stop into a dedicated travel destination. As business owner Niekie Eksteen highlights, taking the R341 route through De Rust toward Mossel Bay adds just 20 km compared to alternative bypasses—making De Rust a prime detour for Karoo road-trippers.
Community Unity and World-Class Expertise
The project has drawn deep grassroots support. Church groups in Blomnek have taken ownership of major entrance flower beds, local craftspeople are preparing hanging baskets and iron stands, and artist Coenie de Villiers has pledged to hold a benefit concert for the initiative.
The project gained global momentum following a master-planning visit by internationally acclaimed landscape designer Leon Kluge and his business partner Tristan Woudbarg. After scouting the village and walking Meiringspoort, Kluge advised the committee to scale up their initial targets significantly, recommending another 10,000 cuttings to maximize visual impact. During his visit, Kluge also identified an extremely rare endemic plant on the local De Rust koppie—Babiana Karooica, a tiny, bright-purple flower that he urged the town to strictly protect.
Paving the Way for the World’s First National Malva Show
These initial planting days serve as the groundwork for a much bigger horizon. Guided by Kluge and Woudbarg, the committee’s original festival vision has expanded into hosting a full National Malva Show—planned for late 2027 as the very first event of its kind in the world.
The town will officially launch the three-year project during Heritage Weekend (24–27 September) with a dedicated village festival. As newly planted cuttings take root across pavements and garden walls, De Rust’s message to travellers is clear: De Rust is open for business, united in spirit, and actively planting the path to its floral future
