By Mvume Ndimba
Welcome back to Tourism Tuesday — your weekly reminder that Gqeberha isn’t just a place to visit; it’s a city filled with stories, characters, and legends that shape who we are. This week, we explore one of the Bay’s most iconic local hangouts, a brewery that does more than serve world-class craft beer. Richmond Hill Brewing Company has found a way to bottle the spirit of the city itself, preserving the tales, quirks, and unforgettable personalities that once moved through our streets.
The Mystery of the Mind
Since the beginning of time, humans have worked on healing ailments of the body. Curing once incurable diseases is something we do very well.
The ailments of the mind, however, are still something of a mystery to us. We are ages away from truly having parity between these forms of medicine, but we can be proud of how far we have come as a society.
The following column does not exist without our sheer ignorance and lack of progress on the art of healing the mind. While there is humor or positivity to be taken from the story below, it would be irresponsible to pretend we do not recognize the dark truth that many of us walk around undiagnosed, carrying burdens and so-called bad habits we cannot seem to overcome. When it comes to our ability to heal the mind, we failed the man I am about to describe.
Damn. Anyway.
A Quiet Evening at RHBC
RHBC has been one of my favourite spots to go for a beer on a quiet evening.
In the heart of the Baakens Valley, you will often find me sitting next to something soft with a glass full of something dark and foamy in my hand, soaking up the atmosphere and trying not to over-indulge in some of the most adventurous and creative beers the city has to offer.
For a person in their early adult years, Richmond Hill Brewing Company offers a laid-back environment and a selection of craft beers that could rival any of its big city competitors.
But besides the delicious selection of beers on offer, the company offers the city something far more meaningful. It gives us a small glance at the legacy of some of the more colourful characters who call Gqeberha home.
Urban Legends in a Glass
Their flagship drinks, “Car Park John” and “R2 Man,” are more than cool, three-syllable names. These beverages are named after real urban legends from the city of Gqeberha.
If you were around when Something Good was less of a family restaurant and more of a wall, then you might remember Car Park John Scheepers, a mythical figure in our surf culture. A rugged old man who spent his days in the warm Summerstrand sun teaching the next generation about carving waves. And if you remember him, then you definitely remember R2 Man.
The R2 Man: A Memory Etched in the City
We never learned this man’s name. He never shared it. He would stand in Walmer near the Miramar Spar, dancing in his underwear, sometimes with a second pair of underwear on his head. Not for attention. Not for pity. He would stand on the side of the road next to what used to be a BP and just dance all day long, his lean and fit body on display for all to see.
I was around eight the first time I saw him. I leaned over to my mother and asked what was wrong with him.
My mother, being the lady she was, told me he was just disturbed and that I should ignore him. Eventually he would go away. Unfortunately for my mother, may her soul rest in peace, she was wrong.
As people approached him, they would roll down their windows and offer him money. By all appearances he looked like someone who needed help. These well-meaning people would give him spare change hoping he would buy food or clothing.
But not my brother. No.
The name R2 Man came from his strange rule. He refused any large sum of money. If you gave him a R2 coin, he would thank you and smile. If you gave him a R5 coin, he would throw it back in your face and shout at you. Give him a R10 note and he might rip it up.
For those of us born in the 1900s, we remember him for his boundless energy and commitment to this strange daily routine. He never got sick. He never took a day off. He was out there every single day, dancing for his supper.
People were not giving him money out of pity. They were paying for the show.
His body language did not resemble that of a beggar. He seemed content doing his daily workout while watching us commute.
His insistence on only accepting a small R2 tip gave his performances meaning, both to him and to us.
A Legend Lost, A Legend Remembered
For years he did his high-energy dancing, pretending to jump into cars, having the time of his life. He was happy to be there, and we were happy he was there.
As I said, I was about eight when I first became aware of him. By the time I was old enough to ask real questions, he was gone. Never to be seen again.
It is believed he died from exposure. Chest out. Summer through winter.
Nobody knows how he got there, and nobody knows where he ended up.
Some say he was once a Policeman who suffered a traumatic head injury. Others say he was a firefighter injured on duty. All we know is that one day he was there, and the next he was gone.
But my mother was wrong about one thing. Ignoring him did not make him go away. More than 20 years after his final performance, his legacy lives on in the form of a gorgeous red Irish ale crafted by the local boys at RHBC.
Visit RHBC and Taste a Story
Visit their newest location at 324 Kragga Kamma Road and pay your respects to one of the many legends our city has birthed.
The Richmond Hill Brewing Company is based at Number 2 Alabaster Street, North End. They distribute nationwide and offer tours where you can hear the tales of R2 Man and Car Park John directly from the people who immortalised them. They also offer beer tasting and a range of activities centered around their craft beer offerings.
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