Invitation to Tablers The last Royal Show.

The last royal show is upon us in 2023, Sadly for South Africa and especially Pietermaritzburg the final Royal Show will be taking place this year for the Royal Agricultural Society (RAS). The RAS grounds has been sold to developers whom are undertaking a revamp of the area and going to be transforming the grounds into a modern mixed-use development and essentially create a modern CBD.

The RAS backstory –

The Pietermaritzburg Agricultural Society was formed in 1851 and hosted its first Show, advertised as ‘The Pietermaritzburg Fair’ next to the Market Square –behind the current City Hall –on 23 December of that year. Although heavy and persistent rain continued throughout, the organising committee remained undaunted.

The Society’s first President was the Hon. Henry Cloete who was the Recorder of the District Court of Natal and with the exception of the war years and the Bambatha Rebellion, the Society has held a Show every year since its formation. This almost certainly entitles it to claim the status of South Africa’s senior agricultural show.

In 1889 the Society was able to obtain its own showyard on a small site to the south of the city. These grounds rapidly became inadequate as support grew and in 1902 moved to the present Showgrounds one and a half kilometres to the north of the City Hall and with a convenient railway siding abutting the premises. Slowly the size of the land acquired or leased from the supportive Pietermaritzburg City Council increased until the Showgrounds reached its present size of approximately 18 hectares. In the years following the Anglo Boer War the annual Show in Pietermaritzburg became recognised as Natal’s leading agricultural and commercial exposition and it was largely for this reason that with the assent of King Edward VII, the Society was granted ‘Royal’ status in 1904. The necessary notice appeared in the Natal Government Gazette of 29 November of that year and South Africa’s first Royal Show took place in 1905. Although

South Africa became a Republic in the sixties, the Society’s name has remained unchanged and the province’s premier mixed exhibition continues to be referred to as ‘The Royal’ with pride and affection throughout Southern Africa.

Today the Show is held in late May through early June – the duration being 10 days including two full weekends.

Customarily and dependent on weather conditions, the annual attendance figures are of the order of 220 000. In line with changing circumstances, the emphasis of the Royal Show has moved away from being exclusively bucolic and today activities relating to the land and its myriad of usages are complemented with a substantial commercial and service sector component.

Round Table Berg 167 and PMB12

- In 1977 the Round Table Berg 167 club (Now closed) came together and put funds together to build their clubhouse and the now famous Round Table Steak Inn. Due to memberships and other factors the club was closed and the remaining transferring members decided to move to PMB12 as this was a smaller number and as you know seen as more attractive in the realms of Round Table. For many years PMB12 has kept the Round Table Steak inn going year after year, serving show-goers our famous steak rolls and other assortments to the attendees. This has been a massive project for all members of Round Table for the past 46 years and you can only imagine that #IMPACTFULCHANGE this has provided the communities.

So why this article you may ask?

Round Table PMB12 is offering all members of Round Table Southern Africa the chance to come along and work at this prestigious event for the last time. We will be offering all food, home hosting, and especially beer to all those members that wish to attend. If you spend your valuable time with us, we will also be sending you a sublimated shirt free of charge as thanks for your and your legs efforts in joining us.

If you are keen to be part of the PMB12 gents and their legs from 26 May to 4 June 2023 please be in contact with Cameron Day on 082 530 3366

We recently had a great team building weekend out at Kasouga. A lot of fellowship was had, great fishing and team building activities. A lot was discussed around the table about how we as a club have been operating for the past while and how we can improve on the way we handle certain obstacles and how we plan events. It was a much needed getaway for us men and a great opportunity for us to fine tune how we Table. It was also a great opportunity for our pipeliners to learn more about what Table is about and how important fellowship is between Tablers. On the Saturday night we had an awesome potjie and we were joined by 41er Gary du Randt who shared a few stories of his time in Table. On Sunday morning our wives and kids joined us for a scrumptious breakfast before we departed back to Port Alfred. All in all it was a constructive weekend and hopefully there will be a lot of new ideas and renewed energy to bring to the Table!

YIT, Brendan Marais