Newsletter

Fourth Quarter

2008

The last newsletter for the year 2008! What a year it’s been. A year full of sell out functions particularly in the field of political, finance and literary lunch talks. I would like to take this opportunity of thanking the Library Committee who has introduced some great speakers to the club such as Andrew Feinstein, David Bullard & Tony Leon. The Jazz evenings in the Assore Sports Lounge have also proved very popular and are well supported by members and non members. The History Club has also enjoyed a steady increase in the number of attendees attending their lunchtime presentations and it now appears that one must book well in advance. However other club functions are proving to be non cost effective due to poor member response. These include the Sunday Carvery and the Curry Day amongst others. We must remember that interest rates have skyrocketed and the world money markets have stumbled just about everywhere and this has obviously had an adverse effect on the club.

Outside functions have fallen dramatically and the day to day member usage has not been as high as before. I have had many comments such as “our corporate entertainment budget has been cut” or “we just can’t afford it any more” which is so sad considering we still have one of the best venues in the country.

How must we react to this situation? As the Chairman pointed out in his last letter to you all, if every week, every member were to bring one or two people to the Club, most of our present financial situation would be solved. As I previously stated, with the outside functions taking a bit of a downturn this year, the improved day to day usage of members can only help to keep the Club viable. We are continually trying to accommodate speakers, functions and events of interest to our club members and if you have any ideas that you think might help increase attendance, then please give me a call and let’s discuss your ideas.

Club reciprocity is still proving very popular among our members and I’ve heard many positive stories of reciprocal clubs visited around the globe. We still have reciprocal arrangements with approximately 140 clubs worldwide and for many members just being able to use these reciprocal arrangements has more than paid for their membership. Once again, if you have visited a Club that we do not have an arrangement with and you think an arrangement should be created between that Club and ours, please give me a call and allow me to investigate. I am thrilled to inform you that membership, particularly in the 30 to 50 year old age group, has dramatically increased over the last year. With this increase, I have been given some fantastic ideas which I hope to put in place during 2009. Of particular interest will be the introduction of the Rand Club Yearly Gala Dinner which is provisionally booked for the month of March. I am speaking with Wilson Dunster and Elize Cawood, well known for their rendition of “Dinner For One”, to come and perform and therefore ensure that the evening will be one that you don’t forget. Two of our younger members have shown particular interest in starting Cocktail Evenings in the Main Bar and I hope to introduce this early next year!

Some of you will already have seen in the Chairman’s letter that the Club is looking to refurbish the third and fourth floors into luxurious accommodation. If all goes to plan, we will be looking at a total of 46 rooms. I personally believe that these rooms will enhance the perception of Rand Club and also help improve the revenue stream that is so necessary to ensure the continuation of our club.

With the ever increasing number of people returning to the CBD of Johannesburg, I am sure that our members and our corporate members will have great benefit in being able to offer Rand Club accommodation to their colleagues and clients. With these rooms in place we will also be making greater use of Rand Club assets such as our dining areas and function rooms.

It is with great sadness that I must announce that Carmel Powell will definitely be leaving us in December of this year. Carmel has worked at Rand Club for more than 40 years and has proved to be a mainstay in the club’s history. Carmel will be very difficult to replace as she seems to know more about Rand Club than the members, the committee and management put together. Carmel, we wish you well and God’s blessings for your retirement.

May I take this opportunity to wish you all a very happy Christmas, a very Happy New Year and I hope to see you all in the Club in the very near future!

Robby

General Manager

SURREY HOUSE LUNCHTIME PARKING

Parking in Surrey House is still available during lunchtime, for three hours only. Please note that parking tickets are now available from David Lobban at the Porter’s Lodge to the value of R15.00, which you must present to the Surrey House parking attendants when you leave the parking area. Please note that the R15.00 voucher will cover three hours of parking only.

Any time over and above three hours will be for your own account. This facility is for members only. There is additional parking within walking distance of the club at Beyers Naude Square & Gandhi Square, for members’ guests. Parking for special functions can be arranged through our Catering offices.

DRESS RULES
A reminder to members that the minimum requirement of dress is –

Gentlemen Traditional African dress (including Nehru collars), throughout the club.

Smart Casual – open necked long/short sleeved shirts. T-shirts of any kind, jeans, leather jackets, golf shirts, trainers and/or shorts are not acceptable.

Ladies dress is Smart Casual. Ladies are permitted to wear sandals.

Members are reminded to ensure that their guests are made aware of the Dress Rules when visiting the Club. Dress code for special functions will be specified in the newsletter Dress rules for the Assore Sports Lounge are preferably standard Rand Club requirements. However any member or guest of a member who find themselves in a non complying situation may use the Assore Sports Lounge from 11h00 Monday to Friday, until closing.

Union League Club of Chicago - Renovation of their overnight rooms have been completed. Prices range from $210 for a Queen room to $600 for a suite.

Rand Club Members visiting Inanda Club - Inanda Club requires any new members visiting Inanda Club, to either have a letter of intro or an Inanda /Rand Club card. Should you not have a Rand Club/Inanda card, please inform Roanne.

Remember:

Roanne does all the reciprocity bookings, so please call her when next planning a visit to any one of the 130 reciprocity clubs worldwide.

The first 60 years - Joyce Ulrich-Schulz
A century of “Bishops” - Donald McIntyre
Above donated by Simon Peacock

Tales from ancient Olympics - Roger Wanless
Above donated by Roger Wanless – the author

NEWLY ELECTED MEMBERS & MEMBERS/CANDIDATES LUNCHEONS FIRST TUESDAY OF EVERY MONTH
4 November, 2 December

Sunday Carvery
2008 dates 2 November, 7 December (Q) Remember every alternate Sunday Carvery is Quiz time!

100 CLUB DATES FOR 2008
5 November, 3 December

50 CLUB DATES FOR 2008
11 November, 9 December
Please note… There will be no 50 and 100 Club draw in January 2009…Double draw in February 2009

RAND CLUB BUSINESS AND INVESTMENT SOCIETY
First Monday of each month.
Meet at 12:30 for drinks/networking, followed by a single course lunch, wine and coffee, which will be served at 13:00.
Rand Club Members and guests are most welcome.

LUNCH WITH DAVID WILLIAMS
On his latest book: “On the Border” The Border.
For a generation of white men, this was code for the undeclared war in Angola and SWA (now Namibia). That began with a few skirmishes in the late 1960s and ended, twenty years later, with the most intense and extended conventional battles ever fought in sub-Saharan Africa.
When: 20th November 2008
Time: 12:15 for 12:30
Cost: R150.00 p/p (2 course meal with 2 glasses of wine)

LUNCH WITH guest speaker Russell Loubser JSE CEO
Topic: Leadership and the SA Financial Markets
Time: The Russell Loubser day starts at 11:00 a.m. in the Rand Club Main Bar.
Lunch commences 12:30
Vergelegen wines will be presenting their full range of wines for you to taste. If you would like to buy any of these wines, they will be available through Rand Club at cost plus 10%.
Note that only full cases can be ordered. Vergelegen Wine will also be served at lunch during the Russell Loubser talk.
When: 30 October 2008
Cost: R200.00p/p (3 course meal with 2 glasses of wine)

SCOTTISH EVENING AT RAND CLUB
When: 31 October 2008
Time : 7:15 for 8pm
Cost: R190.00 p/p, 3 course dinner—(excluding drinks, incl entertainment)
Dress Code: Black tie or Kilt
Once again time for Willy McClure to entertain us to a splendid Scottish evening and for you to enjoy a sumptuous dinner.
Parking available in Surrey House

BACK BY POPULAR DEMAND – Lunch with David Bullard
Topic: Reflections on 6 months unemployment, and he will talk of the things he is banned from writing in the newspapers
When: 6 November 2008
Time: 12:15 for 12:30
Cost:R150.00p/p (2 course meal with 2 glasses of wine)

SEASONAL CONCERT WITH THE JOHANNESBURG BRASS BAND
27th November 2008
R160.00 p/p, 3 course dinner - (excluding drinks)
Dress Code: Lounge suit
Member Pat Corbin has once again arranged a return of the Johannesburg Brass Band. Parking available at Surrey House

The Rusty Balme Memorial Doubles Snooker Tournament
Members may be partnered by nonmembers
Date: 21 November 2008
Time: 12h00
Entries to Colleen in catering by no later than 19 November 2008

ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING
At 1:45 -Main Dining Room
18 NOVEMBER 2008
Cost: R130.00 p/p (2 course meal, including 2 glasses of wine.)
Lunch will be in the Main Dining Room followed by the AGM at 1:45

MEMBERS ANNUAL SPECIAL CHRISTMAS LUNCH
Thurs 11 DECEMBER 2008
Cost: R150.00p/p (excluding drinks)

Remember - Poker Evening on the last Thursday of each month from 19h00 for you to bring your friends and colleagues to enjoy what is the fastest growing sport in the world!

Hello for the final time for 2008.
Where has the year gone? I recently had the privilege of preparing a classical Portuguese menu for the birthday of one of our prominent members. Not only was this an interesting challenge to the kitchen staff, but it also led to some amusement for the chef’s. One of the dishes on the menu was Sopra de Pedra (stone soup). There is a legend attached to this recipe. The main character in the legend varies from a beggar to a monk to a shepherd. The ingredients also vary considerably, but the main ingredient is of course a stone.

The legend is thus:- A very hungry man knocked at a farmer’s door late one night begging for food. The mealtime had long passed and there were no leftovers. The man, who held a gleaming stone in his hand, asked if he might make some simple requests. “I must have a pot with some water and a fire”. These were provided. He placed the stone in the pot and then said: “This will taste with a bit of olive oil and salt”. These were duly provided. As the water boiled, the man looked at his hosts and remarked: “I am sure you would like to taste my soup. Perhaps the flavour would be improved if we add some bacon or sausage or vegetables.” These were duly provided.

As the soup simmered the man enchanted the family with tales of his travels. In due course wine and cheese were placed on the table and everyone ate of the soup until only the stone was left. The man washed the stone, placed it in his pocket, thanked his hosts and disappeared into the night. On serving the soup one of the waitresses asked me if the guests eat the stones and I replied that the stone was the best part of the dish. Later in the evening I was very angrily approached by the waitress and asked why I had lied to her. She went on to explain that she had spoken to some of the guests and they had told her that the stones were not to be eaten, but were meant to sharpen their teeth after eating the meat. It was later brought to our attention that the waitress as well as one of the waiters had in fact tried to eat the stones.

Should anyone like a copy of the recipe drop me a line and I will send this to you.

Continuing on a small piece of history… the second and third Chairmen of Rand Club…
The clubs second chairman, Dr Hans Sauer was thickset and jovial, a younger brother of J.W Sauer, a cabinet minister in the Cape Colony and later in the first South African government. Adventure-loving, a gambler, quick tempered and happiest when danger was near, he was in nearly every respect the antithesis of today’s conception of a medical man. Born in Smithfield in 1857 when the Orange Free State was an independent Boer republic, at the age of 19 the young man set off to study medicine- returned to South Africa six years later and found there was only one place for an adventure-loving young man-the diamond fields of Kimberley.

His heart was not in medicine though; he did become the first district surgeon. Sauer has left an inevitable impression the he was not a particularly good doctor, and never wanted to be, but he worked hard for the good of Johannesburg while he was district surgeon and he was an excellent organiser. Fortunately he lived at a time and in a place where it was a simple matter to lay down his medical instruments at a moment’s notice, and engage in something more to his taste. He did this more than once. He changed to law, a curious choice, for it was unlikely to have satisfied him any more that medicine did.

While studying law in London at the age of 37, Rhodes asked him to go to Rhodesia, and he responded immediately. He could not resist the call of the open, the danger from Matabele unrest, the hard, clean life of a pioneer – it was these things that meant more to him than medicine or law, and he was off again, never to qualify as an advocate. It was on a prospecting expedition to Mac Mac, in the north-eastern bushveld of the Transvaal, that he played a famous game of poker one evening against another young doctor, Dr Leander Starr Jameson. This young doctor was to figure prominently in the country’s and Rand Club’s history.

With his flamboyant clothes standing out even in the days when eccentric dress was commonplace, he was in his element in a club. He attended almost all the early committee meetings of the Rand Club, and apart from an occasional argument, his behaviour does not seem to have disturbed the calm atmosphere of the club.

There was many criticism of the doctor for one reason or another, but no one questioned his courage. He died in Dinant, Belgium, in August 1939, at the age of 82. Hitler’s forces were poised to invade the Lowlands, so perhaps death was a timely release for the old man- the “genial ruffian” as his friend Rhodes aptly and affectionately called him.

Excerpt taken from “The story of the Rand Club” by René De Villiers and S. Brooke-Norris