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this area of Kalk Bay it was a sort of capsule where different nationalities and cultures co-existed

in harmony. Others who lived here were: Stevens who owned a hardware business, the DRC
Rectory, Slamdien the Muslim cartage contractor, Schecter the Jewish immigrant speculator, and

Avontuur who had his stable at the top of the road.

As with many other streets running down to the Main Road there were complaints from property
owners, particularly in winter when the un-made roads became muddy torrents. Finally, in 1925,

the Municipality was ready to start paving the roads in the area but the costs were paid by property
owners – in this case £493 10s 11d. Rosmead Road caused the Municipality and the residents

several problems. The DR Church, having first refused to sign the necessary petition to have the

road built, then refused to pay up on the basis that the road had been laid out on their land. This
was refuted and evidence was produced to show that the Municipality had bought the land from

Robert Fish. When work started on Rosmead Road the same rock shelf (already referred to) was
encountered and had to be broken up before the road could be made. There were several letters

from furious residents complaining about the delay and the fact that they seemed to be living in a
quarry.

Rouxville Road

Rouxville Road took its name from Rouxville House, owned by Mr & Mrs A J Roux who operated

this magnificent building as a private hotel from about 1890. (Fig. 3.57). It was a very popular
place and a Wynberg Times report of 1906 lists the names of 25 guests.

The side road did not exist at this time and it is no surprise that complaints and petitions were

submitted in 1923 begging Council to make up this and other roads nearby. Rouxville Road was
designated an ‘old’ road in terms of the regulations and this meant that Council paid 50% of the

cost and property owners the balance. The quote was £600 with the final cost £493 13s 11d. Work

was completed in 1925.

In 1959 Rouxville House was demolished and the current Mare Video building went up. (Fig. 3.58).
Modern town planning regulations resulted in a substantial part of the site’s width being taken for

road-widening, kerbside parking and pavement, reducing Mare Video to perhaps two-thirds of the
width of Rouxville House.