Charlene Mfundisi grins from ear to ear as she puts the plate on the table, obviously expecting the response that comes next. “My God, that’s amazing. I’ll never eat all that!” It’s something she’s heard more than once, but her smile is testament to the fact that she’s not tired of hearing it. She giggles and says, “Enjoy!” before leaving the heavily laden plate and dumbfounded diner to their respective fates.
Mfundisi is the manager of the Old Gaol coffee shop in Swellendam. This is her third year in charge of the coffee shop, which is part of the Old Gaol historical complex in the town that is the third oldest magisterial district in South Africa, after Stellenbosch and Cape Town.
Mfundisi wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t for ex-advertising producer Judi Rebstein and the blood, sweat and tears of her husband, Brin.
Rebstein was born and raised on a farm outside Swellendam in the shadow of the magnificent Langeberg. Her grandfather owned land not far from where she lived — a farm once owned by Hermanus Steyn, president of the short-lived Republic of Swellendam. Yes, Swellendam has had its share of history and was a republic for all of six months, from June to November 1795.
The old farm has its own history. Granted as a freehold farm in 1723 it was named Jan Harman’s Schat (Jan Harman’s treasure) and featured in the writings of Lady Anne Barnard. Over the years the name transmogrified into Jan Harmsgat.
Rebstein lost touch with the once successful wine farm when she moved to Johannesburg but, five years ago, she and Brin came across the farm again and decided to move back to the area. Jan Harmsgat had been run down in the years after it left her family, but this didn’t put the Rebsteins off buying it and restoring it to its former glory. Hence the blood, sweat and tears of turning the old wine production building — which had been used to house pigs — into a beautifully renovated guest house, complete with traditional one-metre thick walls and fantastic Cape Dutch antiques and Overberg style.
Jan Harmsgat Country House opened for business just more than two years ago, with four spacious guest suites housed in a restored outbuilding that used to be the farm’s slave quarters. There’s also room for a self-contained family of four in a one-bedroom cottage on a neighbouring farm. The farm itself is now a working dairy, producing a range of very tasty cheeses from the Rebstein’s Jersey milk herd.
The wine fermentation tanks now serve as a wine cellar, stocked with a selection of the Cape’s finest. Fine wines have been a tradition here for almost three centuries so it comes in handy that Brin Rebstein is somewhat of a connoisseur.
But, instead of leaving it at that, the Rebsteins decided that they wanted to do something more for the community of Swellendam and took over the lease of the Old Gaol complex’s coffee shop, building it into one of the most popular eateries in town — and a model of black economic empowerment.
Mfundisi and her fellow workers are shareholders in the business, thanks to the vision of the Rebsteins, who are dedicated to uplifting the communities around Swellendam by using Jan Harmsgat Country House as a vehicle for change. That’s why every “wow” and “that’s amazing” muttered by diners as Mfundisi puts their plates in front of them has real meaning.
It’s these principles that have helped the Old Gaol coffee shop to win top accolades — it was the winner of the Overberg District Municipality award for human development in its first year, in 2003, and a finalist in the Imvelo responsible tourism awards that same year. In addition, it won the Western Cape tourism board’s Emerging Entrepreneur award for 2003.
Mfundisi started her business career at Jan Harmsgat Country House and was hand-picked by Judi Rebstein to take over the running of the coffee shop. She now oversees the making of the shop’s selection of mouthwatering traditional specialities such as melktert, youngberry liqueurs and preserves, dried fruit and even rooster-koek baked over coals on site.
It’s easy to see where Mfundisi gets her inspiration. At Jan Harmsgat Country House, tempting the tastebuds is part and parcel of your stay. Chef Lena Vergotine and her assistant, Julia Kili, are both from the local communities bordering the farm. Under the Rebstein’s guidance, they have developed a menu par excellence, offering sumptuous farm-style breakfasts as part of the accommodation package. Dinner is optional and comes highly recommended, as this is when Vergotine and Kili come into their own, preparing some fantastic meals, complemented by selections from the wine cellar. Meals are served in the candlelit dining room and in winter a roaring log fire set into one of the thick outer walls chases the chill away.
After dinner, it’s a short walk through the gardens to the old slave quarters, and bed. All the rooms have en suite facilities with either showers or Victorian-style pedestal baths. Underfloor heating makes everything cosy in the winter and air conditioning cools it down in the heat of summer.
The rooms are on two floors and each pair opens onto its own common lounge and library area. Behind the slave quarters is a secluded swimming pool, which leads to the orchards of fruit, nuts and olives.
It’s a marvellous escape from everyday life and a fantastic base from which to explore this more or less undiscovered country.
The lowdown
- September 9 and 10: Danie de Wet from the De Wetshof Estate will introduce the wines from his estate. A gourmet dinner will be matched to these wines.
- July 22 and 23: The wines of three boutique wine-makers in the Robertson area will be paired with the cuisine of veteran chef Edwina Kohler (Zanddrift Restaurant).
- For more information on Jan Harmsgat Country House, Tel: (023) 616 3407 or e-mail [email protected]. Website: www.jhghouse.com