A new year is upon us! We hope you’ve all had a special festive season, and are well-rested and raring to go like we are. Enjoy the first Melville Untold newsletter of the year.

In Today’s Melville Untold

• A Look Ahead To 2025 In Melville 🚀

• A Walk With Dogs At Koppies West 🦮

• 27Boxes Rebrands ✨

Let’s go. 

— Aubrey Moloto, 

The Digest

With the first newsletter of 2025, we want to look ahead and give you a glimpse of what our community organisations have in store for Melville this year. We interviewed members of the Melville Residents Association, Melville Business Association, Melville Security Initiative and CREASS Community Services (4-body system?) to find out what their plans for this year are and are there things our community can look forward to?

Goals and Priorities

Safety and security take centre stage. It’s a big concern across all parties with the MBA saying they’re prioritising safety for all residents, visitors and businesses. The MSI echoed these sentiments with their main goal and priority for 2025 being to make Melville a safer and better place for all. The MBA will also be looking to improve the physical environment with maintenance and enhancements while trying to bring back the sparkle by focusing on identity, creativity and heritage. They aim to “restore its position as a leading destination in Johannesburg.” 

CREASS wants to add more equipment to their arsenal. This will help take their community service efforts up a notch. They also want to focus on fixing the Melville Koppies East and Central’s fence at spots that are broken and have been neglected. They generally plan to keep up Melville’s appearance. 

The MRA’s focus is to assist with pressing matters to improve the suburb for residents and businesses. One of the main matters is the homeless encampment on Main Road. They’ll be hot on the heels of that issue joining forces with the city’s Citizen Relationship and Urban Management department and our ward councillor working to find sustainable solutions. Another of these pressing matters is the ongoing noise complaints from establishments with no “place of amusement” license.

Key Initiatives and Projects

The Happening is happening again! The MBA will be reviving our beloved street festival and have more community gatherings and events that showcase local business, art and music. Their aim is to bring more togetherness, foster community spirit and boost local business. 

The MRA has been working on a cool new website that they look to launch in February. This new site should help with overall communication and become a hub of important information for potential residents and businesses in Melville. It will also have an interactive element for the community to engage the MRA with ideas, concerns and suggestions. 

The MSI is still working on the Safe Streets initiative. “This project remains at the forefront of things we wish to implement.” says one of the directors. Although they can’t give us a timeframe, they have told us that as soon as the Johannesburg Road Agency gives them the green light, they’ll go ahead. 

Challenges and Proposed Solutions 

Unfortunately, water issues will persist. The MRA feels that the City Of Johannesburg's water supply will continue to be a problem for us in 2025. They together with residents and the MSI contributed towards communal JoJo tanks at the end of last year. This was to prevent us from being reliant and at the mercy of the City’s unreliable water supply. The new water tanks are at the satellite police station on First Avenue. The MRA also foresee businesses that impact residents negatively and the COJ's ability to maintain infrastructure or deliver services as other obstacles facing them this year. They confidently state that they will continue to monitor land use and liquor applications. The MRA will keep pressing the City to deliver on its promises, keep tabs on things that can develop into issues that affect residents negatively and keep the community informed. They will object to these issues wherever they can.

The MBA’s main challenges for this year are encouraging residents, businesses and local authorities to work together for the common good. They’ll tackle this challenge by “fostering collaboration through open communication and transparency”. They also see recurring infrastructure-related issues like power outages, leaks and public lighting as other major challenges, as well as having limited resources. They plan to address these issues by working with the COJ and “empowering residents to take proactive steps.” They will leverage community-driven initiatives to maximise impact with the resources available. 

CREASS has one major challenge that they seem to have not found an answer to yet; the JRA. The JRA have stopped issuing permits for NPO’s and private companies to repair and maintain their own community infrastructure. This makes it difficult for Melville to keep benefiting from Danny’s proactive approach. Without these permits, the repairs that CREASS did on our roads at our last community clean-up would not have been possible. So going forward, it looks like we have to depend on the JRA's road works to maintain our streets.

Positive Outlook and Community Spirit

We tried to end off on a high note by gauging everyone’s levels of excitement for Melville’s future. Jovana from the MBA believes that we’re moving in the right direction. “Melville’s unique charm and strong community spirit are its greatest assets, and with everyone’s involvement, we can achieve our vision for a brighter, more vibrant future.” The MBA says you can get involved by supporting our local businesses and their events. “Light up your pavement.” They encourage residents to install lighting outside our homes to reduce reliance on City Power street lights and help improve our neighbourhood safety. They also urge us to report issues promptly and be vigilant and proactive; Notify relevant authorities about leaks and outages. If you see something wrong, say something. “Small action prevents small issues from becoming major problems.” I could not have said it better myself!

The MSI are excited to see their Safe Streets initiative implemented after many years and many meetings. They say that “it’s kind of like planting a fruit tree and waiting years to taste the first fruit it bears.” What a sweet, sweet analogy. How exciting! Residents can support the MSI’s efforts by paying attention to communications released by the MSI. Even though their statements can be long and hard to read, their ideas on risks and preventive measures could save you from being in a negative situation. 

CREASS are excited to partner with the MSI and MRA again this year, with Danny saying “Who wouldn’t be excited about bettering the environment?” Well, Danny… you’d be surprised. Get involved with CREASS by staying in the loop on our forums and chat groups. That's where they often ask for assistance and extra manpower. They hope to have 4 community clean-ups in 2025, so look out for those if you want to help. Last year’s resident attendance was dismal, so please come. CREASS wants to appeal to us to support the MRA and MSI. This support will help CREASS achieve its goals.

Darryl, chairman of the MRA says “Melville is a wonderful suburb with an eclectic mix of residents who are academics, creatives and business owners. Our strength lies in community and working together and I am excited to foster new ideas and relationships to improve our community and suburb with the help of some of our brilliant residents and volunteers.” He encourages residents to attend their monthly meetings to have their voices heard and know what they’re working on. It’s a great opportunity for the community to get involved with projects and initiatives that are most important to us as individuals. “It’s easy to be a keyboard warrior, but much more useful to lend a hand and see how you can be part of the solution.” Well said Darryl!

Conclusion

I personally feel very lucky to be part of a community that puts in so much effort. We have 4 community organisations that are continually trying to address critical issues and working to revitalise the neighbourhood while creating clean, safe spaces for the community spirit to thrive. For sure, we can all agree that there was a major dip but in the last 3/4 years, we have taken major strides.

There’s a lot more friction and conflict in forums and chat groups. This may seem like a negative, but to me, it shows a community that cares. These are hectic, intense discussions about what needs to be done for Melville to improve and how. Our organisations and residents are always strategising and taking action with community events and initiatives. They take on serious and intimidating tasks like safety and legal action. Other times cheery and positive tasks like festivals and Christmas lights. Each task takes the neighbourhood up a bit.

It feels like it is only a matter of time until some major issues are resolved, everything else starts to fall into place and we all have our own ideal versions of Melville back. It’s an exciting time to be a Melvillain, even if you don’t see it yet. This might not be in 2025, but it’s only a matter of time.  

If you enjoyed the look ahead to the year in Melville, consider buying us a coffee. ☕️

What’s Happenin’ 🤔

Rain rain go away, come back another day! 🎶 It looks like the rain will continue throughout the week, we were really looking forward to a warm weekend. 😞

Tuesday

27° 🌡️ 16°  | 🌧️ |  🌧️ 40% | NNW 13 km/h 💨

Wednesday 

26° 🌡️ 15°  | ⛈️ |  🌧️ 87% | W 11 km/h 💨

Thursday  

25° 🌡️ 14° | ⛈️ | 🌧️ 40% | N 7 km/h 💨

Friday 

25° 🌡️ 14° | 🌥️ |  🌧️ 43% | NW 6 km/h 💨

Saturday 

27° 🌡️ 15° | 🌥️ |  🌧️ 40% | WSW 2 km/h 💨

Sunday

27° 🌡️ 14° | 🌥️ |  🌧️ 25% | ENE 2 km/h 💨

Monday 

30° 🌡️ 16° | 🌤️ |  🌧️ 25% | S 6 km/h 💨

Live & Music Events Lowdown 🎸

As Melville slowly awakens from it’s festive slumber, here’s a small selection of live music and entertainment events happening this week.

14/01 Tuesdays | 7 pm - 10 pm | Xai Xai Lounge | Eric Miyeni & Richard Jones playing live music | Free entry

15/01 Wednesday | SIX Cocktails Bar | Live Jazz Sessions - Marcus Wyatt, Yonela Mnana, Nhlanhla Radebe, Siphiwe Shiburi | 8 pm til late | Free entrance 

19/01 Sunday| 12 pm | Agterplaas B+B Melville | Jannie Du Toit, Thean Kotze performing songs of Lucas Maree | R150 p/p | Limited seats book by emailing [email protected] or call 0829025799

19/01 Sunday| 4 pm | Jo’anna Meltbar | Sola Vida Drum & Bass is back! | 1/2 price cocktails | Free entry all day

If this comprehensive weather and gig guide helped you, consider buying us a coffee.

For more updates as the week goes on, visit our instagram page @snapson7th

Civil Matters 👷‍♀️

The Power Problems Continue

Residents on Fourth to Sixth Avenue between Main and Sixth Street are sadly still experiencing serious power issues. 

Danny, Jonathan Thompson and Councillor Jacobs have begun tackling this matter. 

Danny and JT had a look at the transformer Substation yesterday on the 13th of January and what they saw raised questions about the repairs that had been done there before. JT and the councillor will be requesting a site meeting with City Power to find out whether more repairs are expected to be done and address issues that have been coming from that TSS. 

Answers from City Power will be communicated to us as soon as the site meeting has been done.

Market Watch 🏬

Melville Artisanal Market (Tennis Courts Opposite Bamboo Lifestyle Centre)

We visited the Melville Artisanal Market off Rustenberg Road for the first time this past Saturday and what an amazing experience! I arrived quite late as they were about to close but I got such a warm welcoming from the friendly stall owners. Before long, I was connecting deeply with friendly faces like Estelle (who’s known for her paté’s and dips) and was exchanging numbers with others. 

Many stalls hadn't come back from the holidays yet; some were afraid of the rain but a few pitched up, in and up their gazebos under the threatening storm clouds. I only had a few minutes to check their stuff out before the rain rudely shooed us away. But I am glad I went. That market has a special energy about it. I particularly noticed a sense of family and unity between the artisans. 2025 resolution time: We have to go down to Rustenberg Road more often!

Melville Market (Kruisgemeente Church On Fourth Avenue)

The Melville Market at Kruis church opens again on the 25th of January. The new market really came into its own at the end of last year. It hit a few growth spurts and built up hype and momentum, especially after the launch of its “Variety” newsletter and blessings from the dikkop. 

They’re now calling out for new vendors who make original or delicious products and have a “beautifully curated stall.” Sounds like you? Contact Ernest at 084 477 7137 and join their tribe of sellers at the Kruisgemeente kerk on Fourth Avenue.

Melville Koppies Check-In ⛰

We were invited to attend the Melville Koppies committee meeting on January 8th. We got a peek at what it takes to keep this national treasure in our hood alive and some of their plans for 2025. There are some exciting ideas and improvements in the works, but most won’t be possible without help from outside (cue in the Melville community spirit). 

Going to the koppies quite a lot towards the end of 2024, we noticed that most of the people making use of this urban escape come from outside of Melville. Some even travel all the way from Boksburg. These small entrance fees are the main resource that keeps the Koppies going. It takes a lot to maintain, upkeep and protect the national treasures that are up there. 

We want to appeal to the Melville community to show more love to our Koppies by visiting central on Sundays now and then. Your contribution can go a long way for them. It’s amazing to have this gem in our hood that’s why we feel it’s us who should be contributing most to it. The koppies are a beautiful experience and a great escape from the hustle and bustle, why not use it? See you there?

They’ve officially been open for two weeks now. Prices for 2025 are R100 per adult, R50 for under 18's and free for under 5’s. It’s R500 for a season ticket. They’re open on Sunday’s 8 am to 11.30 am. Private bookings can be made for visits during the week.

 This coming Saturday the 18th of January the Monthly Koppies West “Walk With Dogs” will be happening. We meet at the cul-de-sac at the top of Arundel Road at 7.50 am. The walk starts at 8 am sharp. It’s 3 KM of hilly paths and broken or uneven ground so bring good walking shoes and appropriate clothes. Bring a hat and sunblock too! But judging by our weather prediction its likely to be cloudy and rainy.

If our weather predictions turn out to be right and it rains the walk will still happen, it will only be cancelled if there’s lighting. Informal security will be provided. All are welcome, even without dogs. 

I don’t know about you but I’m extremely excited to get back on Koppies West. It’s been a while! Stay tuned for the snaps if you won't make it.

Extra Sprinkles 🧁

27 Boxes Rebrands

2025 comes with change! (For the better we hope). 27Boxes has been rebranded as the Joburg Artist Market. We checked out their new site and saw announcements they made on their socials and here’s what we gathered up.

They describe themselves as a “creative hub” that offers shopping, dining and art in a community-focused and vibrant setting. They aim to bring creativity, culture and the community together in hopes of creating a space where local artists and the community can celebrate art. The Joburg Artist Market also mentions that they’ll be hosting live music, art workshops and interactive installations. They feature handcrafted goods, art, jewellery and decor by local artisans showcasing talents like painters, sculptors, artisans and musicians.

The Joburg Artist market still has businesses we know and love like:

• Leebex

• X&O Cronuts

• Suhu Original

• Book Circle Capital

• Reserved Cafe

• Pierced By ZULU

• Crust and Crumb

• The Barbers Chop Shop (We don't know much about this one, hit reply if you have the scoop on them!)

They missed a few like Lifestyle Hub, Stokvel Art Gallery, Denzil’s & Jo’s, Bakers Brothers, Chopstix and more but I’m sure they’ll still be there.

No mention of whether they’ll be adding more establishments that can further help facilitate this new promise.

Overall they’re looking to build a place that Celebrates the heart and soul of Johannesburg’s creative community. Not much has been said about how they plan to do this yet, but we wish them the best of luck! 

Hopefully, more info on how they’ll execute this vision will come out. Or maybe all a business needs for revival is a rebrand…right Jaguar? I guess we’ll just have to wait and see. Welcome to Melville - The Joburg Artist Market!

Thank you! 🙏

And that’s it for the 15th issue! It seems like our community is easing itself into the new year.

If you liked our very comprehensive guide to this week in Melville consider buying us a coffee

Snaps On Seventh has some big plans for 2025 as well. We want to keep growing our services, products and platforms.

The big announcement is that after starting off with photography, and then the written word in our second year, we want to add video to our Melville upliftment efforts in our third. We’re launching a YouTube channel!

We’ll keep you updated in the coming issues as to when our first videos will go live. And just like you have supported us here, we’d really appreciate your support on YouTube as well. 

All the best for 2025 Melville, we have a good feeling about this one!

Stay adventurous, stay united, and let's make Melville shine in 2025! 🌟

Til next Tuesday.

Zàijiàn! ✌️