Joburg’s second oldest bar, in hip inner-city Braamfontein, is a characterful street corner pub that looks like it hasn’t ever been redecorated. The old, dark wallpaper, dim lights, ancient cigarette-stained maroon carpet, antique wooden fittings, historical photos and old-fashioned couches are all part of Kitchener’s century-old charm.

During the day it’s frequented by old men who drink pints of beer and tuck into hearty pub grub such as foot-long bockwurst, steak, egg and chips and Portuguese prego rolls, and by night it’s a mix of students, hipsters and young trendy types partying hard. It’s busy from early on in the night, but in the late night it really gets going.

The city’s best-known and underground DJs play here and turn the tiny packed dance area (which looks like it could be your granny’s lounge) into a mass of sweaty bodies. The bar has a philosophy of promoting progressive music, so you won’t find mainstream house: instead there’s an eclectic mix of hip-hop, dub step, bass, trip hop and electro. There’s an event here almost every night of the week: in addition to DJs, Kitchener’s also hosts indie bands and musicians and comedy nights with upcoming comedians.

Lord Kitchener – a British army chief in the Anglo-Boer War at the turn of the century, and face of the First World War British propaganda “Your country needs you!” posters – has never been so cool.