The Rand Club in Johannesburg

In the heart of Johannesburg stands a grand establishment that is almost as old as the city itself. However, most Joburgers are probably unaware of its existence. We visited the club for a tour.

The Rand Club was founded in 1887, just a year after the city was born on the goldfields of the Witwatersrand. The world’s richest gold reef had been discovered, a city was rising rapidly from the veld, and the men who were making fortunes needed somewhere to put on a jacket, make deals, and discuss their fortunes. The Rand Club was that place.

Cecil John Rhodes is said to have personally chosen the site, declaring, “This corner will do for the club.” Situated at the corner of Commissioner and Loveday Streets, the first Rand Club was a modest brick-and-thatch pavilion. It was rebuilt three times. The current building dates back to 1904, although parts of it were restored and refurbished after a devastating fire in 2005. Once you step inside, you are transported to another era by the grand sweeping staircase, dark wood-panelled walls, antique furnishings, and marble floors.

Our tour guide was David, the manager of the club, who previously served as one of Nelson Mandela’s security guards. He had many fascinating anecdotes to share as we explored the building.

Buckland Library

Here are some interesting facts about the Rand Club:

• The magnificent Buckland Library holds more than 10,000 volumes, including rare and contemporary books.
• The club has a large collection of valuable artworks although many were lost during the fire.
• Johannesburg’s oldest working lift still runs in the building and we used it to visit the various levels.

David with the oldest working lift in South Africa

• The Snooker Room on the lower level of the clubhouse is adorned with hunting trophies and holds three full-sized slate snooker tables, where Rhodes is believed to have played with real diamonds.
• The club is home to the longest bar in Africa at 31 metres.
• Like many colonial-era institutions, only white men were initially allowed at the club. It opened to women and people of colour in 1993, with membership only becoming fully-inclusive in 2016.
• Princess Elizabeth, the future Queen Elizabeth II, was the exception. She was the only woman permitted to walk up the grand staircase before 1993, during her visit in 1947. However, she was not allowed to stay at the club like the men and is said to have slept on the train nearby.
• The club has luxury accommodation available for both members and guests. Members receive a complimentary night’s stay on their birthday.

Rand Club Rooms

• Membership dwindled from around 4000 in its heyday to around 400 currently, largely due to movement of people out of the city.
• The club was temporarily closed in October 2015 due to financial strain and declining membership. It reopened in late 2016 with a renewed vision — transforming from an exclusively members-only institution into a more accessible heritage venue that could adapt to a changing Johannesburg. Functions and conferences are also held here regularly these days.

The Snooker Room

Why you should go there

Johannesburg is not a city that cherishes its past. Many prominent buildings have disappeared overnight. Against all of this, the Rand Club persists. It is remarkable that a building conceived in the fever of a nineteenth-century gold rush, plotted by empire-builders and mining magnates, is still standing, still functioning, still relevant — and now welcoming people who would have been barred at the door for most of its history. That resilience is what makes it worth visiting.

“The Rand Club was not simply a venue for private dining and conversation, but a symbol of Johannesburg’s civic ambition, designed to embody the permanence of a city many assumed would be temporary.”
— Professor Clive Chipkin, architectural historian

The longest bar in Africa

Rand Club Tours

Tours are held on Wednesday and Friday mornings and cost R100 per person. We booked ours via the club’s website, which directed us to Quicket. I would suggest emailing the club directly after purchasing tickets, as the staff did not seem to know about our booking until I followed up. We arrived just before the tour start time, but they were not ready for us, and we waited about 15–20 minutes before it began. We were the only people on the tour. Secure parking is available outside the building.

See my video of the tour here:

For more information, visit the Rand Club.

See more things to do in Johannesburg.

Sara Essop is a travel blogger and writer based in South Africa. She writes about family travel and experiences around the world on her blog “In Africa and Beyond”. Although she has been to 53 countries thus far, she especially loves showcasing her beautiful country and is a certified South Africa Specialist.