In a city that’s driven by the shiny and the new, the Rand Club remains a symbol of fascination and beauty for this writer.
Originally founded in 1887, a year after the City of Gold’s founding, with the involvement of Cecil John Rhodes, the grand Edwardian building (the third and current clubhouse opened in 1904) has seen it all over the decades. From the tumult of the Jameson Raid in 1896, for which several members were convicted of high treason for planning a rebellion against President Paul Kruger, to the decline of the inner city and a major fire in between in 2005.
But that’s in the past and a private member institution like the Rand Club would not be able to survive if it just traded on its illustrious and sometimes controversial history.
If Johannesburg is a city characterised by incessant change, the current demographics of the club couldn’t be more representative: black and white, male and female, straight and gay, across a variety of professions, including lawyers, architects, bankers, entrepreneurs and creatives.
Even with its diversity, maintaining the five-storey Rand Club is a mammoth task, with the City of Johannesburg not helping things with its determination to extract any value that remains via inflated rates.
And while members are central to its heartbeat, like the stately country homes of the English aristocracy that have had to open their doors to the public, the Rand Club has had to increasingly grant access to the outside world in the form of events and office space, without losing the mystique and benefits of membership.
Access most areas
That access extends to accommodation for members and non-members alike.
As I was hosting a fragrance event at the club in July, the opportunity to spend two nights in one of the rooms on the third floor was a no-brainer. Could there be a better example of living heritage?
Room 4 is elegantly minimalist and spacious. After all the sumptuous detail in the rest of the club, it might feel somewhat plain, but if you want a good night’s sleep, best to keep the stimulation to a minimum. Apart from basics such as Wi-Fi and a minibar, standout features include sash windows and a monochromatic bathroom with a shower.
My only complaint? The cooing of the pigeons outside. This is what it sounds like when pigeons cry (and die). Apologies to Prince.
Other accommodation options include the Deluxe Room and Luxury Suite.
The stay fell on a Sunday, when the club, its restaurant and bars, including the longest bar in Africa, are officially closed. I literally had the place to myself, apart from a member using the Buckland Library with its extensive selection of historic books and a congregation using The Ballroom for worshipping purposes.
This gave me the ideal chance to take in the club’s ample attractions, including the impressive staircase near the entrance, the dome above it and the operational elevator (dating back to 1904).
In my wanderings around the club (PS: it doesn’t have a gym, but all the traipsing up and down the numerous staircases will have you cardio-fit), I came across the Cecil John Rhodes Room complete with portraits of the arch-imperialist. As a history graduate, I’m attuned to the indignities and exploitation of colonialism, but don’t believe in erasing the offensive past by removing objects relating to it.
So the club provides many pragmatic history lessons with its fascinating mix of portraits, photographs and sculptures, including those of Nelson Mandela, Thabo Mbeki and Cyril Ramaphosa.
Outside attractions
While there’s plenty to hold the attention inside the club, part of the appeal is the opportunity to experience the CBD.
The club’s location is “relatively safe”, thanks to 24-hour security, the remaining presence of some big businesses in the area, including Standard Bank, its gallery and a small Woolworths food store.
Within the immediate vicinity of the club, you’ll find examples of architecture (Art Deco, Corporate Brutalist, Nouveau Classicist, some restored, others seemingly beyond repair) that have stories to tell about the city’s past, present and future. Some of these buildings bear the blue plaques of the Johannesburg Heritage Foundation, as does the Rand Club.
How to become a member
Benefits of membership include access to members’ only areas such as the Buckland Library, the Snooker Room and Tommy’s Bar, plus a 20% discount on meals, drinks and accommodation. Reciprocity agreements with similar clubs globally, with access to their facilities and accommodation, are a particularly attractive enticement.
Beyond these tangible benefits, membership is the perfect way to commit oneself to the preservation of Johannesburg’s heritage and regeneration — not mutually exclusive concepts.
As with any club of good standing, it’s not just a matter of signing on the dotted line to become a member, even in a money-first city like Johannesburg. The club, therefore, prefers existing members to vouch for prospective members.
Contact details
33 Loveday Street (off Fox Street), Marshalltown, Johannesburg.
For accommodation: Tel: 011 870 4260; reception@randclub.co.za
For membership: Tel: 011 870 4260; membership@randclub.co.za
Richard Goller is a leading fragrance blogger at Fragroom.
