
Explore the oldest pubs in South AfricaSome of SA's pubs have a rich heritage, giving them a special charm. Two of the country's oldest pubs are in Cape Town.
by Marzanne Janse van Rensburg
28-02-2024 09:29
in Culture
Have a beer at one of the oldest pubs in the country. Image by Wikimedia Commons/Connor Ki
SA takes pride in its vibrant pub culture. Some pubs have a lot of history and heritage, giving them a special charm. Cape Town is home to two of the oldest pubs in the country.
--
The history of the Pig and Whistle Inn A strong contender for being one of SA's oldest pubs, is the Pig and Whistle in Bathurst, Eastern Cape. Claiming a founding date of 1832, the historic Pig and Whistle Inn, is the oldest continuously licensed pub in the country and has a rich history. It was originally called the Widow Hartley's Inn. The inn acquired its current name when a group of British stationed nearby decided to name it after a local pub in England.
Pig and Whistle Hotel, Kowie Road, Bathurst. Image by Wikimedia Commons/Lugerda The Radium Beerhall Compared to the other oldest pubs in the country, the Radium Beerhall is a young contender as it was established in 1929. However, it holds the distinction of being the oldest surviving bar in Johannesburg and has a colourful history. Originally known as the Radium Tearoom, it operated as an illicit alcohol venue for 13 years before obtaining a licence and changing its name.
Oldest pubs in Cape Town Cape Town boasts with two of the oldest pubs in South Africa - The Fireman's Arms and Perseverance Tavern.
--
Coal stokers used to frequent the Fireman's Arms when it was a dockyard establishment - from there its name. Since its founding in 1864, the pub has embraced the persona of modern firefighters.
There are several contenders for the title of oldest pub in South Africa . Perseverance Tavern, called Percy's by the locals, has perhaps the strongest case. It received its first official liquor licence in 1836. Before that, it had already been operating as an unofficial public house for nearly 30 years, catering to a diverse mix of mostly affluent patrons. Today, it attracts a young and lively crowd to its polished, ancient wine cask tables.
Perseverance Tavern, Buitenkant Street, Cape Town. Image by Wikimedia Commons/Discott De Akker, Stellenbosch Not far from Cape Town, is Stellenbosch that is also home to one of the oldest pubs in the country - De Akker. Dating De Akker is challenging due to the loss of its original records in a fire in the early 1800s. As a result, it is unclear when alcohol was first served here. However, locals claim that De Akker received its first liquor licence in 1872. It is the oldest pub in Stellenbosch. This legendary pub is a hotspot amongst locals and students of this university town.
--
Star of the West, Kimberley Established in 1870, the Star of the West, has an intriguing history. It has a dilapidated appearance from the outside, but when you step inside through the classic saloon swing-doors, you will see an impressive yellowwood bar top. Legend has it that the sailors who survived a tragic shipwreck of their vessel, the Star of the West, saved and brought the bar counter to the city.
Support Women in Journalism in 2024 - Support us to fund independent women journalism
Most recent headlines
05/01/2027
Worlds first 802.15.4ab-UWB chip verified by Calterah and Rohde & Schwarz to be ...
04/08/2026
Dalet, a leading technology and service provider for media-rich organizations, t...
04/07/2026
April 7 2026, 19:00 (PDT) Detective Conan: Fallen Angel of the Highway Opens in...
01/06/2026
January 6 2026, 05:30 (PST) Dolby Sets the New Standard for Premium Entertainment at CES 2026
Throughout the week, Dolby brings to life the latest innovatio...
02/05/2026
Dalet, a leading technology and service provider for media-rich organizations, t...
01/05/2026
January 5 2026, 18:30 (PST) NBCUniversal's Peacock to Be First Streamer to ...
20/04/2026
At the 2026 NAB Show, Sony is showcasing a broad slate of innovations across liv...
20/04/2026
At the 2026 NAB Show, Canon is doubling down on its commitment to live sports pr...
20/04/2026
Fujifilm is sharpening its focus on core broadcast production with a new wave of...
20/04/2026
This upcoming summer in North America is going to be a busy one. The 2026 FIFA M...
20/04/2026
Glookast (Booth W1661) announced a series of product updates at NAB Show 2026, c...
20/04/2026
Matrox Video and Amagi announced a collaboration to integrate the Matrox ORIGIN ...
20/04/2026
Riedel Communications (Booth C4908) announced that the Asociaci n del F tbol Arg...
20/04/2026
Ikegami (Booth C3819) announced the VFE-P07D monocular OLED viewfinder at NAB Sh...
20/04/2026
International Association of MediaTech (IAMT), formerly known as IABM, announced...
20/04/2026
Harmonic (Booth W2831) announced that DIRECTV is updating its US direct-to-home (DTH) video platform using Harmonic's VOS Media Software.
The deployment is...
20/04/2026
Wasabi Technologies announced that it has acquired the Lyve Cloud business from Seagate Technology. As part of the agreement, Seagate received equity in Wasabi ...
20/04/2026
EVS (Booth N1841) has launched Choreon, a robotics controller for media producti...
20/04/2026
The NAB Show is in full swing, and the SVG and SVG Europe editorial teams are chasing down the hottest stories from all over the Las Vegas Convention Center. He...
20/04/2026
Skyline Communications announced the availability of its DataMiner xOps platform...
20/04/2026
Studio Network Solutions (Booth N1129) introduced a set of new products at NAB S...
20/04/2026
Dell Technologies is showcasing its Dell AI Data Platform with NVIDIA at NAB Sho...
20/04/2026
Blackmagic Design has announced Fairlight Live, a software-based live audio mixer with SMPTE 2110 support and spatial audio mixing. A public beta is available n...
20/04/2026
At the 2026 NAB Show in Las Vegas, Imagine Communications VP of Sales, Sports an...
20/04/2026
At the 2026 NAB Show in Las Vegas, LiveU Senior Director of Sales, Sports Philli...
20/04/2026
A song that perfectly captures a moment is magic. But when you uncover the story behind it, who made it, what inspired it, and the meaning woven into the lyrics...
20/04/2026
Ultra-compact 32-bit recorder set for launch
Deity Microphones will soon be launching a new 32-bit six-track recorder that's been designed with producti...
20/04/2026
Uncoming lightweight shotgun mic announced
Production-sound experts Lectrosonics have recently announced the upcoming launch of a new lightweight shotgun mi...
20/04/2026
New 20-minute documentary explores iconic preamp
In 2025, Focusrite commissioned a new short-form documentary with filmmaker Chris Mayes-Wright - the direct...
20/04/2026
Turn quick sketches into real drum grooves
Sampleson have been experimenting with assitive production tools recently, and their latest creation aims to make...
20/04/2026
Rohde & Schwarz rolls out its full ARDRONIS counter UAS suite in a demonstration...
20/04/2026
L3Harris delivers integrated communications, navigation and C4ISR capabilities that empower the U.S. Coast Guard to protect Americas maritime interests and resp...
20/04/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
20/04/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
20/04/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
20/04/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
20/04/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
20/04/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
20/04/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
20/04/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
20/04/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
20/04/2026
CueScript and Lighting Design Group Expand Customer Opportunities
Through New Partnership
Find both companies at 2026 NAB Show in CueScript Booth # C 4720
...
20/04/2026
[Sydney, NSW, 20 April 2026] - Layercake, the company behind the intelligent media orchestration platform Streamcake, today announced the formalisation of its i...
20/04/2026
Deployment spans FOX Sports' REMI infrastructure, IP production for a major global soccer event, and its Jewel Events production systems
Appear, a global l...
20/04/2026
Pro Sound Effects Launches the Industry's First and Only Native Sound Effect...
20/04/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
20/04/2026
Blackmagic Design Announces Blackmagic Camera for iOS 3.3 Update
Brie Clayton April 20, 2026
0 Comments
New update adds camera control and monitoring ...
20/04/2026
Maxon Announces Free Tools and Mobile Expansion of ZBrush and Cinema 4D
Brie Clayton April 20, 2026
0 Comments
Cinema 4D brings professional 3D workfl...
20/04/2026
Vizrt AI Keyer kills the green screen and creates virtual scenes in any environm...
20/04/2026
Register now - Market & Audience Department Ask Me Anything (AMA) Session 11 February 2026
Screen Australia Head of Market & Audience Rakel Tansley
Talking to...