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 ...
06/09/2026
June 9 2026, 23:00 (PDT) Dolby and MagentaTV Bring Fans Closer to the FIFA Worl...
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...
02/07/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
02/07/2026
Standalone processors acknowledged for the innovation and value they bring to Pro AV
Cobalt Digital, a leading designer and manufacturer of signal processing ...
02/07/2026
Synamedia announced today the appointment of Dr Tzvi Gerstl as Chief Executive Officer. Paul Segre, who has served as CEO for the past six years, will transitio...
02/07/2026
Screen Australia backs audience-led filmmaking with new insight-driven initiativ...
02/07/2026
Screen Australia refines guidelines for Narrative Content Development and Docume...
02/07/2026
Maxon Autograph: Introduction to working with Tables
Simon Ubsdell July 1, 2026
0 Comments
An overview of Autograph's ridiculously powerful tables...
02/07/2026
Boston Conservatory's Soir e Breaks Records to Fund Student Scholarships The event achieved 127 percent of its fundraising goal in an evening celebrating ...
02/07/2026
How Adam Rosenwach Pivoted from Music to Med Tech Without Missing a Beat What do the rehearsal room and the boardroom have in common? More than you might thin...
01/07/2026
Broadcast Management Group (BMG) has announced the appointment of Kathy Samuels ...
01/07/2026
Shade has announced Custom Objects and Automations, a platform expansion releasing June 29, 2026, that adds database and workflow automation capabilities direct...
01/07/2026
FOR-A America has announced the addition of Jaz Wray and Fernando Cruz to its U.S. sales team. Both report to Ernie Leon, Senior VP and Head of Sales and Strate...
01/07/2026
NBC Sports will air all 15 MLB games nationally on Sunday, July 5, across NBC, P...
01/07/2026
Clear-Com has announced a wireless communications upgrade for Jeopardy! and Wheel of Fortune, deploying FreeSpeak II and FreeSpeak Icon systems across both prod...
01/07/2026
England's performance team will use Sony's STATSports APEX GPS tracking system to monitor player physical data in real time during FIFA World Cup 2026 m...
01/07/2026
Adder Technology has announced the appointment of Neil Hillier as Chief Executive Officer, effective July 1, 2026. Hillier succeeds Adrian Dickens, who transiti...
01/07/2026
Bitcentral, Inc. has announced a strategic transaction creating two separate companies. The Production and Playout business will continue as Bitcentral, now own...
01/07/2026
DAZN has announced results from DAZN48, its creator initiative for the FIFA World Cup 2026. Launched in April 2026, the program received thousands of applicatio...
01/07/2026
Sarah Rose, VP, global services, Daktronics (NASDAQ: DAKT), will be inducted into the Information Display and Entertainment Association (IDEA) Hall of Fame at t...
01/07/2026
Gravity Media and the World Economic Forum's production team provided broadc...
01/07/2026
Insight Productions has announced the launch of Insight Storm, a 53-foot mobile broadcast unit built for esports production. The truck is built around a Ross Vi...
01/07/2026
ESPN has announced several content initiatives marking America's 250th anniversary, as part of The Walt Disney Company's Disney Celebrates America pro...
01/07/2026
Eleven production kits, REMI workflows, and cloud distribution bring 40 World Cu...
01/07/2026
The conference also discussed the opportunities offered an industry that is endu...
01/07/2026
The Mountain West Conference has announced the launch of MW , a direct-to-consumer streaming platform powered by Kiswe. The platform will carry live Mountain We...
01/07/2026
New AI Assistant, Multi-channel Audio, ARA2 improvements & more
Tracktion's DAW software has just received its latest major update, gaining a selection ...
01/07/2026
Stammering, stuttering, strangulated tones
The Crow Hill Company's latest creation promises to be the most original sound set they've produced to d...
01/07/2026
Exclusive run of limited-edition modelling pedals
Sweetwater and Andertons M...
01/07/2026
The National Film and Video Foundation (NFVF) is pleased to announce that the ca...
01/07/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
01/07/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
01/07/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
01/07/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
01/07/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
01/07/2026
Manfrotto Introduces UNCOVER, the new premium camera bag collection for modern h...
01/07/2026
Blackmagic Design Powers Houston Tamil Sangam Literacy Competition
Brie Clayton July 1, 2026
0 Comments
Volunteers use ATEM Mini Pro, Blackmagic Desig...
01/07/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
01/07/2026
PlayBox Technology has published State of Broadcast Infrastructure 2026, an in-depth industry research report examining the technologies, operational challenges...
01/07/2026
LONDON, UK, 1 JULY Jigsaw24 has appointed Alan Henry as Head of Sales for Media and Entertainment, reinforcing its continued investment in helping broadcaster...
01/07/2026
Content Vault, the patent-pending secure content distribution platform protecting high-value media from disclosures, theft and unauthorised access, today announ...
01/07/2026
Bitcentral, Inc. a leading provider of enterprise software and digital media solutions for news, sports and entertainment broadcasters, as well as streaming pla...
01/07/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
01/07/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
01/07/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
01/07/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
01/07/2026
Groundbreaking First Nations Screen Business Accelerator launched through nation...
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.
