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Rustenburg House
Rondebosch, Cape Town, Western Cape
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| Rustenburg was laid out by the VOC in 1657, mainly for vines and fruit (grain being grown at Coornhoop and De Schuur). A house of burnt brick was built for the gardener in the same year. Rustenburg was used as a holiday home in summer, when their quarters in the Het Casteel de Goede Hoop (which faced north-west and lacked through-draught) became unbearably hot. It continued to be used by the Governors until Newlands House was built by Governor Ryk Tulbagh in 1751, leaving Rustenburg for the use of the Secunde or of important visitors. In 1760 the summer house at the top of the garden, high up on the slope behind the house, was built. About 1780 an upper storey was added to the house, with a flat roof and a 'dakkamer' or attic, possibly the first that was built. The façade was probably given four pilasters at the same time. In 1792 the Company was compelled to sell most of its properties, but Rustenburg attracted no buyer because it was at that time in a bad state of repair. In 1795 it became the property of the British government, after the terms of the capitulation of the Cape had been signed there by A Sluysken on behalf of the VOC and by General JH Craig and Admiral GK Elphinstone, representing the British government. From 1798 to 1801 the house was occupied by Lieutenant-General Francis Dundas. Rustenburg was then let to Gerhard Munnik and later to Johannes Hoets, who bought it in 1803 when the Batavian Republic took over. It is almost certain that Hoets added the four large columns in front, which were spaced to correspond with the pilasters behind, and extended the flat roof forward, leaving the attic intact. Sir Charles D'Oyly's drawing of 1832 shows this stage; it also shows one of the two guard houses (then also flat-roofed), probably designed by THIBAULT. A water-colour which Bowler painted in 1854 shows that in the intervening period further changes had taken place. Pilasters and attic had gone and a low-pitched slate roof had been put on, ending in a pediment in front. After a fire in 1859 the roof was replaced by the present one, also slate, but hipped at all four corners. The building, which now houses the Rustenburg Girls' High School, was proclaimed a historical monument in 1941, while the summer- house, now belonging to the University of Cape Town, was proclaimed in 1960. (SESA 7:439) The Rustenburg mansion formed the axis of a formal landscape extending up the slopes of the mountain, which can still be followed through the grounds of the University of Cape Town (the Japonica Walk) and terminating in the Belvedere or Summer House. The house was almost demolished in 1940, one of the excuses being that its temple front had been copied in the later buildings of Rondebosch Girls' High School in Camp Ground Rd and that it was not certain that the 1795 capitulation articles were in fact signed here. Fortunately, good sense prevailed and the most important building in Rondebosch was saved. (Fransen 2004:101-102) Books that reference Rustenburg House
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