Paul Roux is a small town situated on the N5 National Route, between Bethlehem and Senekal in the Free State province of South Africa. The town was named after a well-known Dutch Reformed Church leader and Boer general, Reverend Paul Hendrik Roux (1862–1911).
Overview
| Country: | South Africa |
| Province: | Free State |
| District: | Thabo Mofutsanyana |
| Municipality: | Dihlabeng |
| Established: | 1909 |
| Named After: | Reverend Paul Hendrik Roux |
| Total Area: | 5.32 km² (2.05 sq mi) |
| Population: | 437 (2011) |
| Population Density: | 82.1/km² (213/sq mi) |
| Time Zone: | UTC+2 (SAST) |
| Postal Code (street): | 9800 |
| PO Box: | 9800 |
| Area Code: | 058 |
About Paul Roux
Paul Roux was founded in by Reverend Paul Hendrik Roux in 1909 with its sandstone buildings. The town is named after him
The town is the birthplace of Pieter Willem Botha – the first executive State President of South Africa from 1984 to 1989.
Paul Roux is an important producer of poplar wood for the safety match industry. Basotho call the place “Fateng Tse Ntsho” (place of dark trees). The town’s main industry however still remains general farming.
Paul Roux is situated 34 km east of Senekal, 36 km south-west of Bethlehem, and 210 km north-east of Bloemfontein (the Provincial Capital).
This town has a population of approximately 500 inhabitants and the majority of them speak Afrikaans.
There are caves in the area which gave woman and children shelter during the Anglo-Boer War. There are also ruins of historical rectangular houses which were mud plastered to be seen.
Historic dinosaur footprints can be found on a nearby farm.
The Holhoek Hiking trail can be found 17 km from this little eastern Free State town. Turn east and follow the gravel road, do not complain, open your heart and let the untouched beauty flow through you and just continue until you reach an unusual gate with a round hole in the stone wall HOLHOEK home to caves which were inhabited at some stage by Iron Age farmers.
There are two huts built against the back wall under the low overhang of the roof, which are close on 200 hundred years old. Holhoek is the first and thus far the only hiking trail for the disabled – wheel chair access right to the mountain top.
Bushman rock paintings of the ancient “San” peoples most sacred animal, the eland can also be seen (they believed that the eland had supernatural powers which would help them survive).
