Rooiberg Guesthouse

Towards the end of 1995, a group of women from Eksteenfontein identified an opportunity to earn an income by providing a service to the tourists who pass through the village.  They decided to open a guesthouse and received permission to use an old building from Trans Hex mining company.  Practically the whole community lent a hand to renovate the building.  It soon became clear, however, that there was a need for more accommodation.   The Transitional Council made some old buildings available just outside Eksteenfontein for this purpose.  Again money was sought and found, and again the community associations assisted in upgrading the building. 

There are therefore currently two guesthouses in the Eksteenfontein vicinity – the ‘Kom Rus ‘n Bietjie Gastehuis’ (the ‘come rest a little guesthouse’) and the Rooiberg Guesthouse – located in the proposed conservancy area.

Many in the community benefit from the guesthouses as they offer additional services to the tourists, such as traditional meals or guided tours.  The community has elected a committee to manage the development programme – the guesthouses are therefore truly community-owned.