What an electric week in the hood! Between the buzzing crowds at the Melville Art Mile on Thursday and the festive spirit of Carols on Sunday, one thing is clear: Melville has got its groove back. Welcome to the second-to-last Melville Untold of the year. We’ll be signing off next week.

In this week’s Melville Untold

• From Daily Sun Shockers To A Love Of Writing: The Vince Pienaar Story 📔

• Pikitup Woes 🚮

• The Melville Art Mile Event: Pilot & Launch 💚

Let’s go. 

— Aubrey Moloto, Kele Jackson

Sponsored

The Digest

From Daily Sun Shockers To A Love Of Writing: The Vince Pienaar Story 📔

A couple of weeks ago, we featured a burgeoning literary icon, the next generation. Today, we bring you a legend, a veteran, and a bona fide Melville icon: acclaimed South African author Vincent Pienaar.

I’ve known Vince for some time from Cuppa Cafe. In the early days of Melville Untold, when I was still finding my voice and furiously trying to improve my writing, I read a few pages of a book he had been working on. I was immediately inspired. Vince happily traded notes, offered tips, and gave book recommendations. He’s still a huge inspiration.

Jozi Born and Bred

Vince is a "Melvillain" through and through. Born and raised in Jozi, he has spent the lion's share of his life in Melville. Although he spent some time in Pretoria, Cape Town and other suburbs in Jo’burg, Melville is where he’s felt most at home.

Vince was destined to be a storyteller. Growing up, his mother was a well-known journalist who worked at many of the biggest publications. She was head of the Public Relations Office for African Consolidated Theatres, the biggest entertainment corporation in SA at the time. Their head office was in the Colosseum building in Commissioner Street, which housed the Colosseum Theatre, one of the most famous movie houses in the country. Vince hung out at the theatre everyday after school, watching movies as they were released. He wrote throughout his school years and began to monetise his passion in his 20s. Then worked as a newsreel commentary writer at Killarney Films, at a printing shop, and in marketing, before finally settling at the Daily Sun.

The One That Got Away (And The One That Got Pulped)

Vince actually wrote his first novel as a very young man trying to get a girl’s attention. He reckons the book was naively good, perhaps good enough to have changed his life. Tragically, the only copy was used by the girl to wrap glasses during a move!

Years later, he finally published Jimmy’s Place: A Man’s Pub is His Castle. Ironically, the launch was held at the very house that the girl had lived in, which had since become Boekehuis, The Bookstore on the Media24 property in Auckland Park.

His publishers, Penguin, anticipated a bestseller. The book was a collection of short stories set in a bar that transport the reader elsewhere. The enthusiastic publishers printed tons of copies, expecting them to fly off the shelves. Instead, the book didn’t move and was eventually pulped.

Headlines and Hard Truths

Undeterred, Vince pushed on. He dreamt of the writer’s life, free from the 9-to-5 grind. He published his next book with Penguin, but this time he took a risk. Vince never saw himself as an Afrikaans writer; he wanted his work to sit amongst the very best with the English market. However, he decided to give Afrikaans literature a go.

Lacking confidence in his formal Afrikaans (having never studied writing at university), he turned a weakness into a strength. He wrote Jo’burg, Die Blues En ‘n Swart Ford Thunderbird entirely in Afrikaans slang as a stylistic choice. While critics ate it up, one language purist in the Cape demolished the attempt. She simply "never got" the trend of slang literature.

Vince truly matured during his time at Daily Sun, largely thanks to the late founder, Deon du Plessis. After two years of studying Deon’s process, the "maverick" of the Daily Sun newspaper sadly passed away. Vince stepped up and managed to convince management to let him write the front page stories for the next 11 years.

It was here that Vince grew as a human being. Exposed to people from diverse backgrounds, he developed a deep empathy for the hardships of previously marginalised communities. He witnessed true grit and resilience in South Africans battling harsh circumstances to provide a dignified life for their loved ones.

The Dark Side of Mzansi

This era brought a unique style to his subsequent works. Fascinated by "Side B" of Mzansi—the dark side that people rarely see—he used this perspective to write raw plots centred on the gritty reality of Jozi.

A cynical undertone permeated through his next two novels: the somewhat comedic Too Many Tsunamis, and Limerence which was set in Melville and inspired by one of his best friends, the popular local figure Charles Visser. Charles was loved by many in our hood, but he battled demons that eventually got the better of him, leading to his tragic suicide.

But Vince believes his best work is still Jo’burg, Die Blues En ‘n Swart Ford Thunderbird which he relaunched last Saturday at Picobella Trattoria Café with a new cover and slightly reworked text. The restaurant was full of supporters, largely family and friends, though. While he cherishes his solid support system, Vince would have loved to see a few new faces pitch up, as well.

75 and Just Getting Started

At 75, Vince still holds a burning passion for novels and believes he has a book in him that will finally allow him to write full-time.

His current project is due to hit shelves in 2026 with an international distributor. It will be marketed to 40,000 stores across the US and UK, while he plans to print and distribute here in Mzansi himself. Just as he has done with the Thunderbird relaunch.

After all these years, he is still in love with the craft. Like most creatives, he finds the business side difficult, but he has found a second wind. Vince admits he has never really had a bestseller, despite great reviews and a few Barry Ronge Fiction Prize nominations, but he hasn’t given up hope.

I Love Melville

On the Melville connection, Vince says: “I’ve been married three times, divorced three times. Only one relationship has truly been successful in my life, my relationship with Melville.”

He has moved around, but his heart has always been in the village of Melville; it’s his one true love story. His most memorable moment here was a conversation with Nuno de Gouveia at his famous restaurant Nuno’s. Vince, having been away for a while, told him, “Melville’s in trouble. I don’t know if it’s going to make it.”

Nuno replied that he had heard that concern 10 years prior, and Melville was “still here.”

Vince notes that people have been declaring Melville dead for 20 years, but it persists! To him, “that’s the definition of Melville.” He loves that it is an incredibly accepting community with no judgment, even if, sometimes, that is to its own detriment.

You can place an order for Vince’s recently relaunched book, “Jo’burg, Die Blues, en ’n Swart Ford Thunderbird,” by contacting him at 082 466 9991.

If you enjoyed this week’s Melville icon digest, consider buying us a coffee; Payshap id: 0605293425 (Standardbank)/ Snap Scan

What’s Happenin’ 🤔

The festive season is here, so let's get into the spirit!

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

Melville Weather For The Week ☔️

Wednesday 

25° 🌡️ 14° | 🌩️ |  🌧️ 80% | NNE 11 km/h 💨

Thursday  

25° 🌡️ 14° | ⛅️ | 🌧️ 25% | N 15 km/h 💨

Friday 

26° 🌡️ 17° | 🌤️ | 🌧️ 2% | NNW 15 km/h 💨

Saturday 

24° 🌡️ 16° | ⛅️ |  🌧️ 55% | NW 13 km/h 💨

Sunday

24° 🌡️ 15° | ⛅️ | 🌧️ 55% | NNE 9 km/h 💨

Monday 

26° 🌡️ 17° | 🌤️ |  🌧️ 55% | NNW 6 km/h 💨

Tuesday 

28° 🌡️ 13° | 🌤️ |  🌧️ 40% | NNW 6 km/h 💨

Live & Music Events Lowdown 🎸

 Looking for some "party karate"? Let’s go!

11/12 | Thursday | 4 pm | Great Dane | SUPA BHEXEZA 2 Launch Party | R50

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

Business Bites 📂

Festive Guide Coming Soon

Next week, we'll release our comprehensive Guide to the Festive Season. Look out for details on business closures, vetted pet and house sitters, safety tips, and festive parties in our final newsletter of the year. Reply to this email with your recommendations!

Closures & Notices

If you’re a student of Cynthia Nxele, this is her final week of Zulu classes. She reopens on 12 January 2026. Get your 2026 bookings in via email or call in the meantime.
Call: 081 343 0315
email: [email protected]

Agterplaas Wins Big

A massive congratulations to Agterplaas B&B Guest House for bagging a Corporate LiveWire Global Award for B&B of the Year! It's huge for one of our own to be recognised on the global stage. Well done to Annemie, Elroy, and the team, you deserve it!

Anti-Social Gets Spruced Up

Anti-Social Social Club is having a cosmetic refresh! The management team is putting in loads of work to upgrade the facilities, aiming to make them more comfortable for patrons and improve the look.

They have fixed the bathrooms, repainted the walls and ceilings, and raised the outside roof on the side, adding gorgeous lightbulbs for much-needed light on that side of 3rd Avenue.

Well done to the team for keeping up with the resurgence; the hood is getting ready to welcome the city back!

Civil Matters👷‍♀️

Pikitup Woes

Now that the water woes are subsiding and the power has been somewhat stable, Pikitup has taken the spotlight. About two weeks ago, a clumsy supplier handover left most of Jozi wondering if we’d ever see our bins collected again. The new supplier came in cold, and the transition was far from graceful.

However, the councillor received confirmation from the General Manager late last week: bin collection services are back up and running. Operations were to resume as normal from Monday, 8 December, according to the usual schedule. The trouble is the backlog and an incomplete fleet of trucks, so we’re still experiencing major delays. Let’s hope our bins get collected this week!

Melville Art Mile 🎨

Tapped In With Resource Gallery

We caught up with Resource Gallery, who unfortunately couldn’t participate in the Melville Art Mile Event due to prior commitments, to chat about their opening last Friday and their festive plans.

Their new exhibition, Winds Of Change, opened on Friday night to great success. Things are flowing smoothly for Resource; they are garnering some media attention, with a recent feature in The Citizen and an interview with DJ Fresh on 938 Radio. The exhibition features a "new batch of artists" alongside previous contributors like the legendary musician Tuks and Naledi Modupi. It was such a great opening night that they have extended the show run until the end of February 2026.

Resource also announced an exciting collaboration with Bona Bana Art School in Bryanston. Nkululeko Mabe, of Resource, attended their awards ceremony and selected the top works to be showcased at the gallery. The next step is a workshop series, eventually leading to monthly or bi-monthly sessions at the gallery where children from the community and across Jozi can join in.

We love watching them flourish!

The Melville Art Mile Event: Pilot & Launch

The Melville Art Mile is finally a reality! You saw us conceptualise it, throw ideas around, and suddenly...things got real! The marketing reach was massive, with major publications covering the story. We had a short turnaround time from announcement to event date, aiming to capitalise on the festive season with a pilot event to prove the concept for 2026.

The Verdict: the event wasn't perfect, but given the timeline and resources, it was a bigger success than we could have hoped for. Our goals were simple:

1. Amplify business for local galleries and artists.

2. Get the community walking the streets again.

3. Showcase that Melville still has a lot to offer.

On all fronts, it was a resounding success. Even non-participating businesses felt the spillover effects immediately. Market vendors reported beating their usual Saturday trade by a landslide. The "hood" was electric, filled with a diverse crowd we haven’t seen since The Happening.

We sold a whopping 409 tickets, with an estimated attendance of 300 people (as not all tickets were scanned due to a shortage of marshals).

We received brilliant feedback from our walking tour guests, including Ward 87 Councillor Kyle Jacobs, Dawn Robertson and Mabli Zulu (Jozi My Jozi), Unathi Nkhoma (Johannesburg In Your Pocket), and Heather Mason (2Summers). We scored a 4.6-star rating on Quicket, with Melvillians and visitors alike leaving positive reviews. While there was some serious constructive criticism, most understood this was a humble beginning.

What’s Next? From the inside, I see plenty of room for improvement. We are currently debriefing with businesses, the community and Melville’s 3-body system to tighten things up. Great marketing means nothing if the event doesn't exceed expectations.

After Snaps On Seventh closes for the year on the 16th, it's back to the drawing board. We must prep for a next-level official kick-off in 2026.

Thank you again for holding space for us so well, Melville!

The Tail End 🐾

Pet Christmas!

Have you thought about Christmas gifts for your furry family members? Ziggy’s Pet Pamporium came through with some ideal "prezzies." Cobi rates the best gift for a dog is an interactive toy, like a treat dispenser. It stimulates their mind, offers a challenge, and rewards them upon completion.

Recommended Treats & Gifts

• Hypoallergenic Ostrich Treats: A winner for dogs with allergies (Yips and Yaps). Available as big bones, knuckles, or plaits.

• Doggy Biltong: Salt-free and safe.

• Tubs of Treats: Mixes including dental sticks, mini hearts, and bacon strips.

• Blankies: Loved by both dogs and kitties.

• ID Tags: Essential for new pet owners.

• Winter Swag: An outfit is a fun gift. Watch out for next year’s "Winter Swag" contest!

• Leashes: often a safer bet than a harness for gifting, as sizing is less tricky.

Ziggy’s allows gift exchanges for harnesses or collars if the fit isn't right. You’ve had a hectic 2025…spoil yourself, but don't forget to spoil your pets too!

Extra Sprinkles 🧁 

Weekend Recap

Another weekend for the books! The Joburg Artist Market was buzzing, and there were so many events we wished we had a clones.

• SkyJack at Chiesa: They blew the roof off with enchanting rhythms and hypnotising melodies. An amazing live performance!

• Picobella Trattoria Café: Our feature story star, Vincent Pienaar, packed the place for his book relaunch on Saturday morning. He surpassed sales expectations and even had to run to the car for a hidden stash of books!

• 27 Boxes: Johannesburg Child Welfare held an electric event, unveiling their Play Café at Joburg Artist Market. The air was filled with the sounds of gleeful children as JCW and Jozi My Jozi handed out Christmas gifts to vulnerable children. Anna Stroud was also there, unveiling her 'Booksmas Tree' on behalf of Fair.

Christmas Carols with the Salvation Army Brass Band

Our "Best of Joburg" thrift champions, Hotel Hope Interiors, solidified a new culture in the hood with their Carols event alongside the Salvation Army band. Attendees told us it was a special day that brought the community together. A giant Christmas tree was erected at the circle (1st Ave & 7th St), and the crowd even sang for a child celebrating their birthday. It was the biggest Carols event yet, a true community ritual ushering in the festive season!

Upcoming: 16 December at Hotel Hope Ministries

The festivities continue! On 16 December, Hotel Hope invites you to bring the whole family to "spend time with their children and team in a relaxed setting". Refreshments will be served as they share updates on their powerful work.

Wish List; If you’d like to donate, they are prioritising:

• Nan Pelargon 1, 2, 3 Infant Formula

• Large & Extra-Large Nappies

• Vaseline & Baby Bum Cream

• Machine Washing Powder

Financial gifts are also welcome: Hotel Hope

• FNB Cheque Account 62194003382 • Branch 250655

For enquiries, call +27 (0)11 484 4000 or follow their social media pages.

Thank you! 🙏

Thank you for tuning in to our 63rd issue of Melville Untold! Read something useful? Why not give us a tip, buy us a coffee? Payshap id: 0605293425 (Standardbank)or Snap Scan

Thank you to everyone who supported the Melville Art Mile. Let's do it again next year!

As you plan for the new year, consider advertising your business with us. Let's partner up for 2026.

Have a special festive event? Book our photography services to capture those magical moments.

Read a gem? Forward this email to someone who loves Melville.

'Til Next Wednesday, Melville.

Stay growing, stay gentle, and stay genuine.

Agur✌️