Tourism numbers are picking up in Pilgrim’s Rest, Mpumalanga. The popular tourist destination became a ghost town after the provincial government evicted businesses.
Some owners opted for the legal route, the North Gauteng High Court then issued a restraint against the provincial government.
The historic town is now slowly reclaiming its status.
Rich with history, Pilgrim’s Rest was declared a National Monument in 1986 but following the evictions, the destination of choice became a struggling village.
“It has moved from a dump status to plus one status in a sense that more activities in Pilgrim, more business have open. The is an air of enthusiasm and the fact that you can buy milk and fuel in town that is a plus,” says business owner, Johnny Reinders.
