The first thing you see when entering the quant little town of Tesselarsdal, is the iconic building called "De Poskantoor". As the post office was originally situated here, it is currently an exceptional restaurant, only open during weekends, but for special occasions and bookings also during the week. Tesselaarsdal has a unique history, once known as "the town apartheid forgot". Johannes Tesselaar, after retiring as an employee of the Dutch East India Company, was granted the farm Hartebeesrivier in 1781, as payment for his service. Johannes died in 1810, leaving the farm to his wife, Aaltje. Upon her death in 1832, Aaltje bequeathed Hartebeesrivier to nine former slaves and their descendants. This act was remarkable for its time, as it granted land ownership to people of color in an area when such rights were rare in Colonial South Africa. The infamous Group Areas Act was never enforced here. Today, Tesselaarsdal is a quiet testament to its origins, with a mixed community where people live peacefully and close to the land, a true hidden gem in South Africa's complex tapestry.