Kei Road Farmers' Association celebrates a noteworthy 150 years

The small village of Kei Road, nestled in the Amatole region of the Eastern Cape, boasts proud historical roots dating back to the 1879 Cape Frontier Wars.

- By Carin Venter

The Kei Road Farmers' Association (KRFA) was established following the 19th century land grants awarded to soldiers and the founding of farms in the area. The KRFA's minute book, dated 21 October 1875, is the oldest known written record of a farming association in South Africa, and possibly on the entire central and southern African continent.

To commemorate an extraordinary 150-year milestone, an evening of shared stories and fond memories was held at the Kei Road Clubhouse (formerly the Kei Road Public Hall, originally erected in 1893) on 27 September.

Stories worth telling

Among the anecdotes shared was a particularly memorable one recounted by Barbara van de Vyver. She told of the day in 1947 when King George VI and Queen Elizabeth, accompanied by their daughters, Princesses Elizabeth and Margaret, passed through Kei Road on the royal train route during their visit to South Africa.