{{Refimprove|date=July 2011}} {{Infobox settlement | name = De Rust | image_skyline = De Rust Dutch Reformed Church.JPG | image_caption = De Rust Dutch Reformed Church | pushpin_map = South Africa Western Cape#South Africa | coordinates = {{coord|33|29|20|S|22|32|00|E|region:ZA|display=inline,title}} | subdivision_type = Country | subdivision_name = [[South Africa]] | subdivision_type1 = Province | subdivision_name1 = [[Western Cape]] | subdivision_type2 = District | subdivision_name2 = [[Garden Route District Municipality|Garden Route]] | subdivision_type3 = Municipality | subdivision_name3 = [[Oudtshoorn Local Municipality|Oudtshoorn]] | subdivision_type4 = Main Place | established_title = Established | leader_title = Councillor | area_footnotes = <ref name="census2011">{{cite web |url=http://census2011.adrianfrith.com/place/178001 |title = Main Place De Rust |work=Census 2011}} </ref> | area_total_km2 = 17.63 | population_footnotes = <ref name="census2011" /> | population_total = 3566 | population_as_of = 2011 | population_density_km2 = auto <!-- demographics (section 1) --> | demographics_type1 = Racial makeup (2011) | demographics1_footnotes = <ref name="census2011" /> | demographics1_title1 = [[Bantu peoples of South Africa|Black African]] | demographics1_info1 = 2.5% | demographics1_title2 = [[Coloureds|Coloured]] | demographics1_info2 = 87.4% | demographics1_title3 = [[Indian South African|Indian]]/[[Asian South African|Asian]] | demographics1_info3 = 0.5% | demographics1_title4 = [[White South African|White]] | demographics1_info4 = 8.9% | demographics1_title5 = Other | demographics1_info5 = 0.8% <!-- demographics (section 2) --> | demographics_type2 = [[First language]]s (2011) | demographics2_footnotes = <ref name="census2011" /> | demographics2_title1 = [[Afrikaans]] | demographics2_info1 = 93.6% | demographics2_title2 = [[South African English|English]] | demographics2_info2 = 4.1% | demographics2_title3 = | demographics2_info3 = | demographics2_title4 = | demographics2_info4 = | demographics2_title5 = Other | demographics2_info5 = 2.3% <!-- blank fields (section 2) --> <!-- Other information --> | timezone1 = [[South African Standard Time|SAST]] | utc_offset1 = +2 | postal_code_type = [[List of postal codes in South Africa|Postal code]] (street) | postal_code = 6651 | postal2_code_type = [[Post-office box|PO box]] | postal2_code = 6650 | area_code_type = [[Telephone numbers in South Africa|Area code]] | area_code = 044 }} '''De Rust''' is a small village at the gateway to the [[Klein Karoo]], [[South Africa]]. The name is Dutch and literally translates to "The Rest", referring to the town's original purpose of being a resting place for [[Great Trek|settlers]] en route through the challenging terrain of a nearby [[Swartberg]] gorge.<ref>[http://derustheritage.org.za/brief-history/story-de-rust/] "The Story of De Rust" - De Rust Heritage</ref>
==Location== De Rust is located at the foot of the [[Swartberg]] Mountain range between [[Oudtshoorn]] and [[Beaufort West]].
De Rust is also known for the meandering Meiringspoort pass. [[Meiringspoort]] is a gateway that connects the [[Klein Karoo]] (little Karoo) and the (great) [[Karoo]] through a gorge with a 25 km road crossing the same river 25 times in the span of the 25 km.<ref>G. Ross: ''Romance of Cape Mountain Passes''. New Africa Books. 2004. {{ISBN|0864866631}}, 9780864866639. p.89.</ref><ref>[http://samountainpasses.co.za/Home/WesternCape/Passes/KAROO/Meiringspoort/tabid/231/Default.aspx Meiringspoort Pass]</ref> The annual Meiringspoort half marathon runs through the length of the pass and finishes in De Rust.<ref>[http://meiringspoort21.com/ Meiringspoort 21.1km & 12.5km]</ref>
==Climate== {{Weather box |width = auto |location = De Rust |metric first = yes |single line = yes
|Jan high C = 28.3 |Feb high C = 28.2 |Mar high C = 26.4 |Apr high C = 23.4 |May high C = 20.1 |Jun high C = 17.9 |Jul high C = 17.4 |Aug high C = 18.8 |Sep high C = 20.5 |Oct high C = 22.7 |Nov high C = 24.7 |Dec high C = 26.9
|Jan low C = 13.7 |Feb low C = 14.2 |Mar low C = 13.0 |Apr low C = 10.1 |May low C = 7.3 |Jun low C = 4.8 |Jul low C = 3.8 |Aug low C = 5.1 |Sep low C = 6.6 |Oct low C = 8.6 |Nov low C = 10.8 |Dec low C = 12.2
|precipitation colour = green |Jan precipitation mm = 25 |Feb precipitation mm = 31 |Mar precipitation mm = 39 |Apr precipitation mm = 31 |May precipitation mm = 36 |Jun precipitation mm = 23 |Jul precipitation mm = 28 |Aug precipitation mm = 29 |Sep precipitation mm = 32 |Oct precipitation mm = 32 |Nov precipitation mm = 36 |Dec precipitation mm = 26
|source 1 = Climate-Data.org<ref>{{cite web |url = https://en.climate-data.org/africa/south-africa/western-cape/de-rust-26933/ |title = Climate: De Rust - Climate-Data.org |access-date = 7 September 2020}}</ref> }}
==Farming== This area is also well known for ostrich farming and most of the farmers in the area either farm exclusively with ostriches or as a sideline to their existing farming.
==References== {{reflist}}
{{commons category}}
{{Garden Route District Municipality}}
[[Category:Karoo]] [[Category:Populated places in the Oudtshoorn Local Municipality]]