Steynsrus

Steynsrus is s a small farming town in the Free State province of South Africa that was founded in 1910 and named after the last president of the Orange Free State, Martinus Theunis Steyn. It is included under Moqhaka Local Municipality, the tier of municipal government in South Africa, and administered from Kroonstad.

Steynsrus is located on the R720 road between Kroonstad and Senekal, roughly 50km from either; the distance, as with most towns in the Free State, that could be ridden in a day on horseback. A fine sand stone Dutch Reformed Church, built in 1928, dominates the town and is its most notable architectural feature, sitting at the main axis, Van Reebeck and Haasbroek Streets. Steynsrus is a service centre and there is a branch of an agricultural cooperative, as well as butchers, hardware and general goods stores, furniture and appliance retailers, a panel beating shop and a gas station. All the basics are available for what people here, and anywhere else, may need. There is also a large pottery and ceramic goods factory which has sales all over South Africa. First National is the only bank represented in Steynsrus, but through an ATM. Accommodation is available from the Steynsrus Hotel.

The old apartheid era urban geography is still apparent and Steynsrus’ satellite town is Matlwangtlwang, physically removed from the rest of Steynsrus on the other side of a highway. Matlwangtlwang is a proud place and home to a large secondary school and a health centre. Apart from government services agriculture is the main employer in this area and many residents commute every day to work on the surrounding farms. Football is popular and there is an active league with teams whose colourful names include: Manchester United, Marabelle, Peace Brothers and Black Birds. Their biggest rivals are the farm teams, drawn from the workers who live on neighbouring farms. The Pandam Pirates Football Club, of Pandam Farm, are one of their foremost opponents and the matches played between them are closely watched.

seSotho and Afrikaans are the main languages in Steynsrus. There are a few hundred white South Africans living in town, almost all of Afrikaner background as well as a few shop owners who are South African citizens of Indian origin. Under apartheid Indians were banned from living in the Free State—even requiring a pass to travel through it—and those in Steynsrus are therefore relatively more recent residents. Almost all the people in Matlwangtlwang speak seSotho.

People get along, live and work together; it is a small place and everyone knows each other. Steynsrus is a quiet town, now a bit faded, but still there and still loved by the people who call it home.