The history of Rotary in Africa

Geographical Map Showing Rotary Districts in Africa

The zone 20a RGHF board member for History in Africa is PDG AMU SHAH
Zone 20b board member is PP Nevine Abdelkhalek, Giza Cosmopolitan, District: D2450, Zone: 20b

The history of Rotary in Africa dates back to 1921 when the Rotary Club of Johannesburg, South Africa, was founded. In 1929, the Rotary Club of Cairo, Egypt, brought Rotary to North Africa, while a year later, it entered East Africa with the admission of Rotary Club of Nairobi, Kenya. The Rotary Club of Dakar, Senegal, established in 1939 was the first club in West Africa. Today, there are well over 20,000 Rotarians in 800 clubs in 51 Africa countries.


The first club in South Africa was in Johannesburg in 1921 when the prime mover was R.W. Rusterholz. This club was soon followed by others in Capetown, Durban, Pretoria, Port Elizabeth and elsewhere, so that by 1929 there were 12 clubs in South Africa forming part of District 55, Africa South of the Equator. Rusterholz became District Governor and was re-elected to serve for 4 years. He was succeeded by Kenneth Young of Capetown, and subsequently by Otto Siedle , a past President of the Durban Club. In 1929 a writer in Durban observed "No longer is a South African Rotarian looked upon as a singular type, for the movement is now definitely established as a South African institution. The country has its place on the Rotary map of the world; its Rotarians are cultivating the gentle art of fellowship as their opportunity for service; and to all the world of Rotary overseas the members of the clubs in District 55 say "Come to South Africa and when you are here fail not to call upon your fellow Rotarians in this part of the world.'"

In April 1934 Paul Harris sailed from Southampton on the 'Armadale Castle' to attend the District conference in South Africa in the place of RI President John Nelson, returning from there in May on the 'Winchester Castle' RGHF senior historian Basil Lewis, UK, 16 July 2008

Much of the region is also captured in a 2005 article by PDG AMU SHAH, RGHF zone 20a board members.

First Eleven clubs in Africa
#01 Johannesburg, Union of South Africa 1 Jul 1921 (club #976) D9300 ZONE10 HISTORY    

#02 Durban, Union of South Africa April 1924 (1893) D9270 ZONE10 HISTORY

#03 Port Elizabeth, Union of South Africa February 1925 (2004) D9320  ZONE10  HISTORY

#04  Cape Town, Union of South Africa February 1925 (2011) D9350  ZONE10  HISTORY

#05 Pietermaritzburg, Union of South Africa March 1925 (2072) D9270  ZONE10  HISTORY

#06  Pretoria, Union of South Africa February 1925 (2106) D9250 ZONE10  HISTORY

#6 according to RI charter #3 organized in Africa

#07  East London, Union of South Africa February 1926 (2317) D9320  ZONE10  HISTORY    

#08   Bloemfontein, Union of South Africa August 1926 (2463) D9320  ZONE10  HISTORY

#09  Elisabethville, Belgian Congo March, 1927 (2585) D  ZONE10  *HISTORY  (*Club no longer listed)

#09 Queenstown, Union of South Africa August 1927 (2683) D9320 ZONE10 

#10 Benoni, Union of South Africa November 1927 (2842)  D9300  ZONE10  HISTORY

The first RI president from Africa

Jonathan B. Majiyagbe

President's Name     Jonathan B. Majiyagbe
Presidential Year     2003-2004
Theme                      Lend a Hand
Home Town (club)    (Kano, Kano State, Nigeria)

Convention Host/      Osaka, Japan


Convention History   22-26 May 2004
   
Other Information     Awarded the 1905 Coin
                                First President from Africa
                                Why I am a Rotarian
                                First Chair of The Rotary Foundation from Africa
                                2009 convention speech

 DISTRICTS IN AFRICA