District Conference 2026 took place 30 April - 3 May 2026 at Mpekweni Beach Resort. Some great speakers were present, including:
CREATE LASTING IMPACT
Our world does not need more spectators. It needs people willing to act.
This year, our call is simple, yet powerful: Create Lasting Impact.
Rotary has always been built on the belief that ordinary people, united by a common purpose, can achieve extraordinary things. Across communities and continents, Rotarians give their time, skills, resources and hearts to address some of the greatest challenges facing humanity.
But lasting impact asks us to go further.
It challenges us not simply to respond to the needs we see today, but to create solutions that continue changing lives long after we have moved on. It asks us to build stronger communities, develop future leaders, create sustainable opportunities and leave the world better than we found it.
Three powerful thoughts capture the spirit of this call:
“Be the change you wish to see in the world.”
— Mahatma Gandhi
Change begins with us. We cannot wait for somebody else to create the world we hope to see.
“The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing.”
— Edmund Burke
Whether or not these were Burke's exact words, the message remains compelling: when good people remain silent or inactive, the problems around us are allowed to grow.
And perhaps Margaret Mead captures the heart of Rotary most powerfully:
“Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it's the only thing that ever has.”
— Margaret Mead
That is Rotary.
People choosing action over apathy. Service over self-interest. Collaboration over isolation.
And when those people come together with purpose, we do more than create change for today.
We Create Lasting Impact for generations to come.
District Governor update - July 2026
Ordinary People. Extraordinary Impact.
Across Rotary District 9370, something remarkable is happening every day.
It happens quietly, often without recognition or applause.
It happens when a Rotarian gives up a Saturday morning to serve a community. When a club provides clean water to a school, supports a shelter, feeds a family, creates opportunities for young people, empowers women with skills, cares for the elderly, protects our environment, or simply notices someone who has been forgotten.
It happens whenever an ordinary person decides, “I can do something.”
To every Rotarian across our District: we honour you.
We honour the hours that nobody sees. The meetings, planning, fundraising, travelling and problem-solving. We honour the times you have rolled up your sleeves and served, not because you had to, but because you chose to.
You are living Service Above Self.
And through your service, communities are stronger, lives are being changed, hope is being restored and opportunities are being created. The impact of what you do today may be felt for generations to come.
But there is still so much to do.
Our world desperately needs people who are prepared to care. People who are willing to move beyond talking about the problems around us and become part of the solution.
Perhaps that person is you.
You don't need to be extraordinary to join Rotary. You simply need to believe that your time, your skills, your experience and your heart can be used to make a difference.
Because Rotary is not simply about attending meetings.
It is about people.
People from different professions, cultures, communities and generations coming together around one shared belief: that when good people work together, we can accomplish far more than any one of us could ever achieve alone.
There is a place for you at our table.
A place where friendships are formed, ideas become action and your contribution can become part of something much bigger than yourself.
So, to our Rotarians: thank you. Thank you for showing up. Thank you for serving. Thank you for continuing to believe that change is possible.
And to those looking in and wondering whether Rotary might be for you, we extend a simple invitation:
Come and join us.
Bring your skills. Bring your ideas. Bring your passion. Bring your willingness to serve.
Together, we can create the positive change our world so desperately needs.
Together, we can create lasting impact for generations to come.
As I reflect on the first six months of my tenure as District Governor of Rotary District 9370, I am deeply aware that this journey has been shaped not by position, but by people. These months have been defined by travel, listening, learning, and witnessing Rotary in action across South Africa and Lesotho—alive in our clubs, embedded in our communities, and expressed through service that changes lives.
DISTRICT GOVERNOR STEVE SHONE & MARITA
DG Steve & Marita Shone
From humble beginnings in Aliwal North, Steve grew up in a farming family with four brothers, one of which was his twin. His parents taught them all the ideal of service above self even at a young age and the whole family was involved in community work in the district.
He moved with his family to Pietermaritzburg where he matriculated at Alexandra High School and thereafter completed his military service as an instructor. He obtained his law degree at the University of Natal and completed his articles in the city.
His primary love was for agriculture and he carved a career for himself in the industry, starting off as CEO of the Natal Agricultural Union that became the KwaZulu-Natal Agricultural Union when commercial and small-scale farmers united to establish a single representative organization in the province. One of his lasting memories of this tenure was meeting President Nelson Madela who officially launched the fledgling organization. It was during this time that he was nominated by the Azalea Rotary Club in Pietermaritzburg to participate in a Rotary Group Study Exchange to upstate New York led by Rotarian Darryl Wood of the Berea Rotary Club. During this exchange he came to understand the enormity of the worldwide Rotary organization. Two events during this time remain vivid in his mind
- The USA Supreme Court decision that interpreted the Rotary Constitution to allow female members, a decision that has clearly been to the advantage of the organisation
- The worldwide involvement of Rotary in the fight against polio and how the energy to fight the disease globally was demonstrated at each club in upstate New York that he visited
Steve joined the Pietermaritzburg Azalea Club in 1999 and was member there until he relocated to Bothaville to head up Grain SA. He joined the Viljoenskroon Rotary Club and was fortunate to have PDG Jaap Steyn as his mentor. He was instrumental in securing a food stall for the Rotary Club at the annual Nampo Harvest Day that bolstered club funds.
He then moved to Kroonstad where he joined the local Rotary Club and immediately set about supporting existing projects run by the Club and seeking new ides for fund-raising. One of the highlights for him was an air show organized by the club and labelled “Planes in the Platteland”. The club was fortunate to host Rotary Youth Leadership Awards (RYLA) for three years and Steve was involved in the developing and presentation of the course. He was President of the Club in 2010/2011.
Steve and his wife, Marita, moved to the Ladybrand district in early 2015 to join the hospitality industry at St Augustine’s Resort near Modderpoort. They were privileged to host many AG training sessions as well as POETS. He joined the Rotary Club of Ladybrand in 2015 and served as President in 2019/2020, a third of the term being subject to the rigid protocols of COVID-19.
Steve has retired to Bloemfontein where he is now a member of the Bloemfontein Raadsaal Club.
Steve is a Paul Harris Fellow.
“One Team, One Dream, One DISCON”
Dear Fellow Rotarians,
With our successful District Training behind us, I am pleased to share that the District Conference Committee is in full swing preparing for DISCON 2025! It’s truly heartwarming to see so many Rotarians already registering with such excitement and enthusiasm.
DG'S REFLECTIONS DECEMBER 2024
Dear Fellow Rotarians,
As we reflect on the first six months of the Rotary year, the theme “The Magic of Rotary” has truly come alive in every interaction and experience. Having had the privilege of visiting 69 clubs, I have been deeply moved and inspired by the incredible projects and heartwarming initiatives that you, as Rotarians, are driving in your communities. It has been a revelation, seeing firsthand the impact we make through service above self.
RAJ RAMCHUNDER
ROTARY CLUB OF CHATSWORTH HIGH NOON
ROTARY CLUB OF CHATSWORTH HIGH NOON
Raj Ramchunder is a retired member of the South African Police Services. As a recipient of ten medals for distinguished service, Raj has been celebrated for his commitment, integrity and strong sense of loyalty to serve. In a career spanning forty years Raj served in many departments within the SAPS until he found his niche as a station commander, a position held for twenty years until his retirement. Raj holds qualifications from the Graduate School of Business (University of Durban Westville) and is highly trained in hostage negotiation and conflict resolution. He was introduced to the world of Rotary in 2004 and since has remained a charter member of the RC of High Noon. His readiness to serve and natural ability to lead exposed him to Rotary leadership and in 2010 his represented South Africa in the GSE to India. This propelled Raj into several other leadership positions within his club, severing three terms as Club President. He served as the national coordinator for the RFHD programme.
Raj served as an assistant governor in District 9370 before taking on the role of District Governor 2024/2025
Raj is married to Shereen, and they have two daughters and a grandson. The family resides in Durban.
He lives by the motto "Love All - Serve All"
Please remember that RI semi-annual subscriptions are automatically generated on 1 July and 1 January, and that they are based on a club's membership as recorded on those dates. Once your invoice has been generated by RI - NO CHANGES WILL BE CONSIDERED. A similar situation applies for your club's District Dues.
So, Club Executives, please make sure that your club's membership data (specifically new and terminated Active Rotarians) is up-to-date in ClubRunner by 30 June and 31 December.
As always, remember that data entered in ClubRunner will be automatically fed through to RI, but NOT vice versa!
Attention D9370 AGs, Presidents and Secretaries.
Please note: Since we implemented ClubRunner in July 2013 it is essential that all changes to both club and membership data be made through ClubRunner - rather than through RI's My Rotary area. This includes the entry of new members as well as the termination of departing members.
Some club executives are STILL overlooking this vital point, resulting in discrepancies between RI's data and that of D9370.
A new document is available on the D9370 website which will help to bring clarity to the various changes which have taken place in Foundation funding over the past few years. For three years, TRF ran a pilot project called the Future Vision Plan with the objective of making funding from TRF clearer to understand, more powerful in its influence and more cost effective for the Foundation. At the end of the three year trial, TRF adopted the Future Vision Plan (modified where experience had indicated this would be beneficial) and this is now in place as the new Grants model, effective 01 July 2015.
Please click on the Foundation Tab above and select Financial Overview of TRF Funding for more information.
Please click on the Foundation Tab above and select Financial Overview of TRF Funding for more information.
Type header here
Add text here