Recently, during a spring flower exploration of the West Coast, I discovered the little dorp of Darling – and now I am searching for a house there with my name on it.

Up until then all I really knew of Darling was that it’s home to Pieter-Dirk Uys, one of South Africa’s best-known satirists, playwrights and performers and his famous alter-ego, Evita Bezuidenhout.

Since the 1970s he has used sharp humour and theatre to challenge political hypocrisy and social injustice.

He’s written dozens of plays and performed many a one-man show around the country. In 1996 Pieter-Dirk Uys arrived in Darling and bought the disused railway station.

With his flair he turned the faded platform into Evita se Perron, a cabaret theatre and café that anchors the town’s cultural life and gives Bezuidenhout a permanent stage with her pearl earrings and razor-sharp tongue.

The locals here are very proud of Uys I noticed and they make sure to tell visitors about Uys and the Evita se Perron where you might catch him, but where you find quintessentially South African treats like homemade pies, vetkoek and jaffles.

Uys has turned 80, but he’s still got performances lined up for the rest of the year, so if you plan on going to Darling be sure to time your visit with a show.

We have recently toyed with the idea of leaving Knysna for an even quieter town that’s also near to Cape Town and so Darling makes a persuasive case.

Just 25km from the West Coast National Park and about 80km from Cape Town International Airport, it offers the laid-back country atmosphere I want with easy access to the Mother City for shops and city lights.

First impression of Darling is its clean, orderly streets and suburbs. The town falls under the Swartland municipality which was ranked a best-run municipality for its service delivery, governance and financial stability.