Die Pienk Kerk's current landlord is Lebrun Rossouw, who also owns The Jolly Roger Pub in Parkhurst. Talk about a portfolio that spans from piety to pints! Happy Heritage and World Tourism week, and welcome to Melville Untold!

In this Week's Melville Untold,

• A Walking Journey Through the Streets That Shaped Me 🚶‍♂️

• Melville Market Spring Fest: A Cultural Affair! 🌼

• Melville Koppies AGM With A Twist 🦜

Let’s go. 

— Aubrey Moloto, Kele Jackson

The Digest

A Walking Journey Through the Streets That Shaped Me🚶‍♂️

I've always been a walker. I've walked everywhere! Not always by choice, but necessity. Catch a taxi to Bree or MTN, and from there, Jozi is your oyster.

This is why I resonated deeply with Dr Myer Taub (of the Braamfontein Jozi Walk) in our meetings and workshops. He speaks profoundly about walking as a way of life and a science he studies. I felt his ideas run deep within me. I have never been able to shake the feeling that there is more to walking than merely getting from A to B. For the first time, at the Jozi Walks meetings, someone articulated it magnificently – and it goes way deeper than I thought.

Growing Up in Melville's Golden Era

I caught the Melville spirit as a child. As my memories started forming, my siblings in their late teens to early twenties worked and played on the strip. They were playing their part as the golden era shone its brightest, vibrating with a bustling economy and an eclectic community.

I heard epic tales of nights at the Baseline, Roxy's, Cat's Pyjamas, Melville Mardi Gras and especially Ratz (where they worked). I met Jozi's most eccentric creatives, who went on to become famous, and hippie Bohemian types who would wake up in my house, as I brought in coffee, water, and aspirin after their wild nights.

The enchantment grew as I saw trains of cars parked from the corner of 4th Avenue and Main Road for Roxy's and Cool Runnings on weekends, stretching for kilometres in every direction. Too young to go, but I knew it was special and felt lucky to be there.

Raised by the Community

I was raised by the community. All the kids in my street were more than just friends – we were family. We'd ride our bikes on the koppies, play sport at the UJ grounds, fish at Padda Dam, and in winter, oil a snowboard we got at Bounty Hunters and ski down the grass hills. After school, I'd walk to 7th Street, get a free ice-cream scoop at Buzz9 and walk the street greeting and hanging out with the staff.

Melville is not only where I'm from, but a massive part of who I am. As I became a teen, I connected deeply with the streets and still hold powerful memories of each one.

Like Dr Taub teaches, I made the perfect routes for each use case: to get to the destination as efficiently as possible, scenic routes, dreaming of living in beautiful homes and marvelling at the architecture, mysterious properties like Die Pienk Kerk and guessing its story.

Some routes were for seeing friends or conveniently passing by the prettiest girls from school, hoping to catch a glimpse. Other routes were about safety – to avoid the house with the gate always open and its aggressive dog, or knowing the appropriate time to walk past Faan Smit Park, Oom Paul Se Kop, or the corner of Main and Judith. Each walk has a purpose.

I tried to dig deep into Myer's ideas, my thoughts and memories when building out my walk. I'd like to take you on that journey, but first, a bit about Jozi My Jozi and the JoziWalks Initiative.

About Jozi My Jozi

We spoke to Janet De Kretser from Jozi My Jozi, a long-term Melvillian, and found that Jozi My Jozi is essentially a civil movement. They aim to be a catalyst for change and a "super connector" dedicated to revitalising the city.

Launched two Mandela Days ago with the foundational belief that "if we let Joburg fail, South Africa fails," Robbie Brozin (Nando's co-founder) connected with Adam Craker of IQ Business on the Wits Business School board. They shared a vision to save Jozi, and the mission was born with a multi-pronged approach to achieving this massively ambitious goal:

1. Safety and Security first

2. Environment, mostly public spaces

3. Social Development, addressing complex issues like displaced peoples

4. Education, working with inner city schools and beyond

5. Commercial revitalisation

6. Tourism, arts, culture and sport

Ultimately, they're bringing people back into the city to make Joburg a world-class, 24-hour city and a walking city again.

Enter JoziWalks

Speaking of walking: Enter JoziWalks. It's a series of sponsored, community-led walking tours made to get residents and visitors exploring Jozi's diverse neighbourhoods. The project aims to unearth the city's "hidden gems" and showcase its rich stories, culture, social history and development through personal and immersive experiences.

The idea came from senior urban planner Douglas Cohen, who was inspired by "Jane's Walks," where locals informally guide people through their hoods. He brought the project to the Johannesburg Development Agency, which funded the programme. Together, they brought in Johannesburg In Your Pocket's Laurice Taitz-Buntman to handle the marketing and PR. The project did well for three years, then was abruptly halted by the pandemic.

After COVID ended, Laurice saw greater potential in the initiative beyond just media promotion. She realised these walks had significant tourism potential and could be developed into a much bigger project. A potential saviour given how badly the country's tourism sector had been rocked. Laurice felt the walks could also serve as a vital "feedback loop" for the city, allowing residents to informally share what was and wasn't working in their neighbourhoods, as the City started to take revitalisation more seriously.

When Jozi My Jozi was formed, Laurice brought the project up. It was revived as #JoziMyJoziWalks and led by Dawn Robertson from Jozi My Jozi, together with Johannesburg in Your Pocket, and the Gauteng Tourism Authority became their funding partner. The JDA had opted out and handed the project over to new custodians.

Melville Unlocked: Voices of Our Village on Sat, 27 September

In anticipation of hosting my walk I tapped into the voices you will hear from on the route. 

From the bustling, legendary 7th Street, our walkers will hear stories of the magic that captured me as a child. My co-host, Danny Nunes and I will share stories of the past, present and future, reminiscing about Melville's highs, and resilience whilst fighting through the dips as a community.

Nkululeko from Resource Gallery

has played a massive part, together with the businesses in the Melville Mansions, in Melville's latest resurgence as we reshape its post-COVID identity.

Shepard, the wire works street vendor

Has traded on the strip for 15 years and has become an integral part of 7th Street. He's endeared himself to patrons and residents alike.

The Markets – we'll make two stops for refreshments and souvenirs at our Saturday markets along the way. You'll hear about Melville's artisanal facet, with many creatives and entrepreneurs forging a livelihood with their talents and smarts, building businesses and community together, supported by our local markets.

Wendy Carstens – a voice of wisdom from a Melville legend and icon. Together with her late husband David, they dedicated decades to fighting for the koppies, keeping the Friends Of The Melville Koppies alive and protecting this sacred heritage site. It's a welcome break from the urban hustle and bustle – a contrast in nature with 360-degree views of the city stretching to the hills of Magaliesburg, city skylines and northern suburbs.

Agterplaas Guesthouse - After a short architectural walk through the quietest, most aesthetically pleasing parts of Lower Melville, we'll end at Agterplaas for another quiet, tranquil break. It's a moment of reflection, hearing stories about the vintage-style guesthouse's role in the community and illustrating how local spaces act as cultural meeting points.

And much, much more, as Danny and the Snaps On Seventh team do their best to give an unfiltered, raw experience of our hood.

More Than Just a Walk

Being chosen for Jozi Walks has been a much deeper experience than I expected. We (the walkers chosen) connected instantly, bonded by the realisation that we are not alone. We've been living parallel lives, nurtured by our environments, which have fostered a deep connection for each of our own slices of Jozi.

It's been a mind-blowing experience seeing different places (especially the inner city) through Walkers' eyes. How people who live in an evolved Jozi, in challenging circumstances, have reimagined these spaces. How they live, work and play, but most importantly, their role in the new community and how the community responds to these challenges has shaped a new narrative.

Be a Tourist in Your Own City

This is such an epic opportunity to safely see a fresh point of view on how 30 years of change has reshaped Johannesburg neighbourhoods. We know about the decline, but this is a chance to see the amazing things happening in Alex, Brixton, Braamfontein, Fietas, Fordsburg, Hillbrow, Jeppe and surrounds, Kensington and Victoria Yards. Trust me, these walks will give you a new reason to hope.

You're spoilt for choice this World Tourism weekend. Be a tourist in your own city!

Buy a ticket to our Jozi Walk here: https://www.quicket.co.za/events/334772-jozi-my-jozi-walks-melville-unlocked-the-voices-of-our-village/?ref=events-list#/

If you enjoyed this week’s digest piece, consider buying us a coffee; Payshap id: 0605293425

What’s Happenin’ 🤔

So much to do in the hood this week, you're spoilt for choice indeed!

Check out the events calendar for regular events - The Melville Pulse Events Calendar 

Melville Weather For The Week 🌸

Pray for summer rains! Our plants (and our reservoirs) are ready for you Mr Weatherman!

Wednesday 

25° 🌡️ 11°  | 🌩️ |  🌧️ 55% | SSW 11 km/h 💨

Thursday  

19° 🌡️ 11° | 🌩️ | 🌧️ 91% | ENE 11 km/h 💨

Friday 

21° 🌡️ 11° | 🌤️ | 🌧️ 25% | ESE 7 km/h 💨

Saturday 

22° 🌡️ 12° | ☁️ |  🌧️ 55% | NE 9 km/h 💨

Sunday

26° 🌡️ 13° | 🌩️ | 🌧️ 62% | N 13 km/h 💨

Monday 

21° 🌡️ 8° | ☁️ |  🌧️ 25% | N 13 km/h 💨

Tuesday 

20° 🌡️ 9° | 🌤️ |  🌧️ 6% | SWS 9 km/h 💨

Live & Music Events Lowdown 🎸

 Dust off those dancing shoes, Melville, your weekly vibe check is in!

27/09 | Thursday | 10 pm | Great Dane | After Party: Blackman Confidential Showcase | Free

27/09 | Saturday | 6 pm | Coca Lounge and Restaurant | A Random Groove | Free

For more updates as the week goes on, visit our instagram page @snapson7th or our new Melville Pulse event calendar

Koppies Check-In ⛰

As usual, the Koppies will be having their monthly 8km guided walk on Sunday from 8am. But the main attraction is on Saturday!

Birds, Business & Community - Saturday 27th September 🪶

The Koppies committee invite the hood to their annual general meeting, spiced up with a talk about the birds of the koppies by Anthony Paton. All are welcome, including children, at the Lecture Hut. The event starts at 2pm on Saturday; special parking for attendees is available. Come for the governance, stay for the feathered friends!

Contact for enquiries:

• Wendy: 079 532 0083

• Jenny: 072 348 0578

Business Bites 🗂

New Kid on the Block: Meet IKO With Melissa & Ellen

A lot is happening at the Joburg Artist Market, which we'll introduce you to in due time. This week, we introduce IKO, JAM's newest addition. It's owned by Melissa Thorne, who's also part of the Happening organising committee.

IKO is a clothing and alterations shop specialising in unique African-inspired clothing. They sell African fabric, adults' and kids' clothing, and do clothing alterations.

The team is just Ellen (the seamstress) and Melissa. Ellen has been "doing her magic" on the sewing machine for four years and lights up the shop with her killer smile. She loves working with people and leaves customers happy, "with smiles on their faces and warmth in their hearts."

When Melissa isn't running IKO, she's a film producer. Her friends describe her as a "typical, slightly mad creative type of person". (We suspect most Melvillians secretly identify with this description.) Melissa is always juggling many projects whilst wearing "weird and wonderful" bright outfits daily. Her superpower is being able to organise anything!

Melissa loves getting involved in community projects and initiatives. Currently working on the Happening, she's one of the organisers of a clean-up and de-seeding group at the botanical gardens. She enjoys lifestyle and street art photography and is a self-proclaimed up-cycle queen!

Melville's been her "stomping grounds" for the last 30 years, and she's always loved that it's a "personal" suburb she can relate to.

Melissa's has caught wind about the area going back to its famous artistic vibe. She made the move to 27 Boxes because she wants to be part of the resurgence and play a role in growing the community.

She has many ideas, drive and a high-action mentality. You can catch her at the boxes gathering shop owners, urging and pushing for initiatives and consolidated efforts to get feet in the mall. So if Melville needs something done, Melissa is probably already writing the to-do list in glitter pen. She's a proper mover and a shaker, very Melville-like!

Visit IKO:

• Monday to Friday: 8am to 4:30pm

• Saturday: 8am to 1pm

• Closed Sundays and public holidays

• 1st floor, Unit 124 at Joburg Artist Market (27 Boxes)

• Follow them on Instagram

The Tail End 🐾 

Pet Winter Wear Prize Party

Once again, we'd like to thank everyone who participated in our first newsletter competition. It was a fantastic show of Melville spirit and celebrating Melville's furry community members.

As promised, it's time to award our winners! This coming Sunday, we'll be hosted by Ziggy's Pet Pamporium, where we'll be giving our winners their awesome prizes and snapping a few pictures.

Congratulations and well done to Ripley and Hicks, who came a close second in a nail-biting end to the winter swag contest! Trumpets and a massive round of applause for the most fashionable pet in the hood: Bumpy!

See you this weekend! We'll contact our winners to finalise your slots.

Bounty Hunters Cat of the Week

The felines are getting the spotlight now. We're excited to introduce a new cat from the Bounty Hunters Charity for Cats each week. Prepare for maximum purrs and potential adoptions.

Meet our featured feline friend:

Ways to get involved:

• Need a new family member? Consider adopting!

• Love cats but can't get one? Go bond and play with the cats at the charity shop (it's free therapy, really)

• Love animals and want to support? Donate things you're not using, cat food, or even money, to help the Bounty Hunters keep doing the amazing

Markets Watch 🎪 

Melville Market Spring Fest: A Cultural Affair! 

Get ready for a spring fiesta to remember! Your taste buds (and your Instagram feed) are in for a treat.

This Saturday, the Melville Market at Kruisgemeente Church is hosting a special spring festival event. Expect it to be packed with stalls offering amazing finds such as Bulbomads, who'll be selling red bulb plants.

There's loads to see and do with Katherine Meeding (glitter and oil artist) and photographer Marinus Haakman exhibiting their work. Food and deli treats include pies, gourmet quiche, cakes, desserts, cookies, sweets, frozen meals, biryani, cheese, salami, burgers and chips. Sounds like a culinary tour de force designed to challenge your willpower.

It promises to be a "cultural affair with delectable artisanal flair!"

Market Schedule Shake-Up

If you tried to grab something at the market last week, you would have noticed it didn't happen. The Market at Kruis has officially changed its trading times. They will no longer be open weekly, but once a month, with two openings in December.

After this weekend, they'll only open on:

• Last Saturday of October: 25th

• November: 29th

• December: 6th and 13th (wrapping up the year with a bang!)

So mark those calendars, set your reminders, and don't miss your monthly dose of market magic!

Icing On The Cake 🧁 

The Happening: Plot Twist (But It's Still Happening!)

There's bittersweet news this week concerning the Happening. The festival won't be happening on 25th October anymore. Cue the collective sigh of disappointment, followed by a glimmer of hope.) The good news is that it's still happening, just not next month. They're aiming for March 2026.

After weeks of rallying the hood and business community, the organising committee made the crucial call to postpone it. They haven't managed to secure enough buy-in from the community to get involved in the day's festivities, nor investment from businesses.

This is supposed to be an event by the community FOR the community, so they need us all involved and active.

If you've been reading our main newsletter stories, you'd have noticed that the majority of people we interview say their most memorable moment in Melville was the Happening Festival. So it boggles us to see everyone so passive about making this Happening... well, happen!

Let's rally, Melville!

Thank you! 🙏

Thank you for tuning into Heritage and World Tourism Week's Melville Untold. Enjoyed something you read? Consider buying us a coffee: Payshap id: 0605293425

September has been a wonderful month of growth! Growth in so many fulfilling ways: subscribership, social media engagement, the tours finally added to our offerings and all the wonderful things that have come along with it. Most importantly, the support from our hood. Our hearts are full. Thank you!

Share this with someone who loves Melville. 🤍

Till next Wednesday, Melville.

Stay cultural, stay compassionate, and stay cheerful.

Mapanen ✌️