The Ruimte Farm Begrafnis Koppie (burial hill) is a tourist attraction with a difference. Here visitors can come to see the grave of one of South Africa’s most famous authors, Etienne Le Roux.
Etienne (who was Stephen’s father) wrote some famous and controversial books in Afrikaans – many of which were translated into English.
Some titles include:
- Sewe Dae by die Silbersteins;
- Een vir die Azazel (‘One for the Devil’); and
- Magersfontein O Magersfontein (which was banned in South Africa for a certain period due to bad language!).
Ettiene won the Hertzog Prize for literature and his memory lives on strongly in his family and on the hillock where he and his wife are buried. The hillock provides a spectacular view over the farm and into the distance towards Jacobsdal. Come and visit the farm where he lived and wrote, hear a bit of his life’s story from his son and visit his grave to see the magnificent view.
