There was actually a Service Station (garage) at the Bamboo Centre. That’s why the restaurant there is called Service Station Café. Welcome to Melville Untold.

In this week’s Melville Untold,

• Plenty Green: The new garden changing our hood 🌱

• Important updates on the Melville Art Mile! 💚

• JCW Launch A Play Café At JAM 🛝

Let’s go. 

— Aubrey Moloto, Kele Jackson

sponsored

The Digest

Plenty Green: The New Garden Changing Our Hood 🌱

About two weeks ago, we teased an article about Plenty Green building a community garden. It’s a venture by Nkululeko Motloung, who hails from the East in Tsakane, Ekurhuleni. Nkuli is one of those people, just like me and many others we’ve spoken about, whose life trajectory was altered by the pandemic.

Sowing the Seeds

Nkuli met Melville through the ORIBI Village social impact incubator, which held food systems events at 27 Boxes pre-COVID. He frequented their events and eventually joined their incubation programme, where he really fell in love with the concept of food systems for social change. When the lockdown hit and his career was impacted, he took it as a sign to chase his budding passion (pun intended) and learn about growing food. More importantly, he delved into food sovereignty and started the non-profit organisation, Plenty Green Africa.

Nkuli noticed that the nursery at 27 Boxes "wasn’t being utilised" after the pandemic and began engaging management to work the space. After "many back-and-forths," nothing came to fruition. He tried Richard Mabuza of the Melville Artisanal Market, supplying him with fresh produce to sell for some time and eventually connected with Kate Bellenden of Food Circles 108. Together they planned a garden at the Satellite Station, but for whatever reasons, those plans fizzled out. Nkuli was beginning to lose hope, but he loved the Melville environment and knew this was where he wanted a garden.

The Return to Melville

Things went quiet for a while on the Melville front, but Plenty Green was growing from strength to strength, cropping up gardens in Soweto and Ekurhuleni, and even striking a deal with the Goethe-Institut.

In 2025, he became one of the 15 Jozi My Jozi ‘JoziWalks’ champions. There, he met me, Aubrey Moloto—the JoziWalks Melville champion—and the dream of returning to Melville was sold to him again. Nkuli and I hit it off instantly; we met at the first JMJ presentation event, and after I presented my Melville Unlocked Tour, he approached me. He recognised names from my presentation and poured out his ideas and frustrations about getting a garden going in Melville. I loved his concept and connected him with Jovana Korac of the Melville Business Association, who agreed that this initiative could really benefit the community.

Breaking Ground

Jovana pointed Nkuli in the right direction. She thought the Satellite Station would be a brilliant community touchpoint, helped him get SAPS permission, and introduced him to Danny Nunes of the MSI and Creass Community Services, who operates from the station. Before long, he had made his breakthrough and was finally building a food garden in Melville on his own terms.

He has been at the station for about two months now, with active work starting three weeks ago. The last time we broke the news, he had just cleared the space. Now, the vision is clear: Nkuli wants more than just a garden, he wants to build a community of gardening lovers, teach food sovereignty, and help Melville understand biodiversity. The plan is to host workshops, consult with the people in the area, and build a communal place for skills and resources to exchange. He's planting a seed that he hopes will feed the Melville for many years to come.

A Transformation

On Saturday, we went back to the Satellite Station to attend their first workshop, a collaboration between Plenty Green and the African Climate Alliance (ACA). We caught up with Nkuli, Mr Plenty Green himself, as well as Basetsana Happy Pitso of ACA.

And my oh my, the place has been transformed! Plenty Green has successfully begun building a permaculture food garden, strategically cultivating biodiversity by bringing in pollinators, planting natural repellents, making homemade natural compost, and strategically using the existing trees and landscape. The crops are budding!

The Workshop: Regenerative Farming

The workshop focused on regenerative farming at the intersection of climate justice. It was a practical session where youth from all over Jozi learned about natural farming systems and their importance to the climate ecosystem.

They had an open dialogue and attendees got to get their hands dirty. Key focus areas included:

• Food Systems: A discussion on what food means to each participant and the future of farming in confined urban spaces.

• Climate Justice: Understanding that the ecosystem of climate action directly affects food systems.

Plenty Green took participants through a hands-on demonstration of working with the ecosystem, covering seed saving, soil maintenance, and the art of companion planting such as pairing Swiss chard with red onion. They highlighted the importance of plants like comfrey, which fixes nitrogen in the soil and create natural fertiliser.

The core message was that regenerative farming is climate justice. Plenty Green’s system is chemical-free, avoiding herbicides to protect the soil. By using indigenous, drought-resilient crops and waste for mulching, they are proving that small actions, like a community garden, are crucial steps toward a sustainable future.

Wellness and Waste

We then spoke with Basetsana Happy Pitso, a Programs Intern at the ACA. Originally from Alexandra, she has been part of the youth-led movement for almost four years. Basetsana feels that a garden like this in Melville offers massive benefits to the community that span beyond the economic.

• Food Sovereignty: If the current generation can sustain this garden, they can regenerate their own food. Simple yields, like a single potato or onion bed, go a long way.

• Wellness: Basetsana notes that humans are "one with nature." Being in the garden brings mental clarity, rooting people to the soil.

• Health: Natural fruits and vegetables retain a richness that mass-produced food lacks. Industrial production often cuts out necessary nutrients, whereas planting natural foods allows you to truly feel how consumption affects your body.

• Waste Reduction: Growing your own food reduces the need for packaged goods and plastic. Furthermore, turning a problematic area into a garden is a creative way to combat illegal dumping.

I Love Melville

For Basetsana, it was a first visit to our hood. Coming from a "very busy environment," she was struck by the stillness and the sound of the trees; she thinks Melville has a lot to offer.

Nkuli’s most memorable moment in Melville dates back to Fixin Diaries in 2015, the bike hire spot run by Hussain van Roos. He used to rent a bike and cycle around the hood. He remembers being overly ambitious the first time, not realising how many hills Melville has, and struggling! But it was a lovely moment nonetheless.

He loves the communal feel of Melville, the fact that people know each other. Nkuli acknowledges that it isn’t quite how it was before COVID, but that community feel is still there. He sees a new generation arriving with the same energy, keeping that culture alive.

Support Plenty Green Afrika by swinging by the Satellite Station and getting stuck-in! You can also donate gardening tools, seeds, compost or collaborate on workshops and community gardening events with them. Contact Nkuli at 065 866 5039

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

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What’s Happenin’ 🤔

The Melville Art Mile kicks off this week! Hope you got your tickets! (If not, what are you waiting for? A written invitation? Consider this it.)

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

Melville Weather For The Week ☔️

Wednesday 

25° 🌡️ 14°  | 🌩️ |  🌧️ 87% | NNE 13 km/h 💨

Thursday  

24° 🌡️ 15° | 🌦️ | 🌧️ 55% | N 17 km/h 💨

Friday 

25° 🌡️ 14° | 🌥️ | 🌧️ 25% | NNW 13 km/h 💨

Saturday 

27° 🌡️ 14° | 🌥️ |  🌧️ 55% | NW 11 km/h 💨

Sunday

23° 🌡️ 14° | 🌤️ | 🌧️ 55% | N 13 km/h 💨

Monday 

27° 🌡️ 15° | 🌩️ |  🌧️ 61% | NNW 11 km/h 💨

Tuesday 

28° 🌡️ 14° | 🌤️ |  🌧️ 25% | NW 7 km/h 💨

Weather sourced from AccuWeather

Live & Music Events Lowdown 🎸

 Need to hear some good tunes and catch a vibe? We’ve got you!

05/12 | Friday | 4 pm | Blanco On 7th | Club Y ft. Bigballer CEO, ShakesxLes, Thee Buhle and more | RSVP

05/12 | Friday | 4 pm | Great Dane | Trilogy Fridays: The Last Dance | Free

05/12 - 06/12 | Friday - Saturday | 7.30 pm | Skyjack | R200

06/12 | Saturday | 6 pm | Coca Restaurant and Lounge | Jolly Good Show by Boys From The North | Free

07/12 | Sunday | 12 pm - 8 pm | Marks Park Sports Club | Once Upon A Time In Joburg | R500

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

Business Bites 📂

Sánguchè: A Correction & A Cookie Review

Firstly, we messed up the spelling of Sánguche in last week’s post, apologies! We hope you found it alright. We popped in for the opening on Saturday, but unfortunately missed the food as the kitchen closes at 4pm (make a mental note of that!). However, we spoke to some people who did eat. Word on the street is that the Philly Cheese Steak is a winner for the carnivores, and for the vegetarians, “you have to try the falafel!”

We were one of the lucky few who got a free cookie and, holy smokes, they are delicious! We had the peanut butter one and the chocolate chip; both were divine in their own right. Thank you, Sánguche, for giving our hood a little more flavour… and colour! Look for the bright green writing on 7th, next door to Artüro Tequila, and give them a try.

Zen at AA Gallerie with Heirloom Apothecary

We also went to AA Gallerie on Saturday for their yoga event in collaboration with Heirloom Apothecary, a wellness and conscious cosmetic brand by Rifqa -. Heirloom has strong connections with Melville; it is an online business, but often pops up and collaborates across different spaces here.

Rifqa, originally from Cape Town, came to Jozi for her 9 to 5 in advertising. She admits to getting homesick but finds a bit of the Mother City right here in the Ville, (We promise not to charge her 'mountain view' tax), a sentiment we often hear Capetonians in Jozi echo. She met our community through the Lifestyle Hub (where she stocks some Heirloom products) and has since collaborated with Joburg Artist Market (27 Boxes) businesses.

This time, they offered gentle yoga to a small crowd, hoping to create an inclusive, beginner-friendly space to meet other yogis (or potential yogis), release tension, and build a community.

Check out the Heirloom Apothecary Online Store 

Rifqa mixes the products herself, describing them as “heirlooms” passed down from her grandma to her mother, and now to her. You can get:

• A bath soak that doubles as a body scrub

• Essential oil rollers

• A moisturising toner
  
  Check out their catalog on instagram and send a direct message to order.

Keep an eye on the AA Gallerie's social pages for the next community yoga session. We’ve seen these work really well in other areas, and it seems like a much-needed practice. We hope this is the first of many!

• Visit: AA Gallerie at Joburg Artist Market (they’ll also be involved in the Melville Art Mile).

• Contact: Azeezah for enquiries: 067 842 6296

Civil Matters👷‍♀️

CREASS Weathers the Storm

CREASS has been on a roll during these recent storms, swarming in when needed most. The Avengers have assembled! (But with chainsaws instead of shields) They handled 10 downed trees and obstructing branches, opening up roadways within an hour in most cases.

Usually, we depend on City Parks (JCPZ) to assist, but their team was stretched thin attending to over 200 sites across Jozi.

CREASS came in clutch, significantly reducing the pressure on City Parks, who were only needed at one of the 10 sites CREASS attended to. Thanks to a collaborative partnership, CREASS handled the chopping and trimming, while JCPZ received the locations to collect and clear the debris.

After a massive few weeks, the main CREASS team will be taking a much-deserved rest. However, a smaller standby team will continue handling basic tasks throughout the holidays. Stay tuned for our Guide to the Festive Season newsletter for more info on CREASS’ operational times.

Art In Melville 🎨

Updates on the Melville Art Mile this Week!

The Melville Art Mile finally kicks off this week! (Cue the confetti!) This is our pilot event for a community arts celebration that will officially launch next year on the 8th of February.

We hope to see our community members outside on Thursday, walking the streets again! There’ll be heavy security en route to make it a safe, comfortable walking experience.

We’ve updated some logistical information that attendees should take note of (an email will also go out to ticket holders soon):

1. Tickets & Roaming: Only the Premium Guided Tour will start at Die Pienk Kerk. Any other ticket holder can scan their ticket upon entry to any venue, get a wristband, and roam to any other place freely.

2. The Routes: The two walking routes will be marked with pink and green arrows, respectively:

   • Starting at the Melville Mudroom? Follow the Pink Arrows to make your way towards Die Pienk Kerk.

   • Starting at Die Pienk Kerk? Follow the Green Arrows to make your way towards the Melville Mudroom. (If you get lost, just follow the sound of wine corks popping)

   • A map that doubles as an event program will be available at all locations. Get them from the information marshals.

3. Tour End Point: Our guided tour starts at Die Pienk Kerk but ends at chiesa, not Melville Mudroom. Melville Mudroom is the second-to-last stop, and we end at chiesa, where there is a night market and restaurant so people can hang out, enjoy live music, and grab some food until close.

4. Trov x Oksijen: Trov is not on the main walking route but will be open 'til late. Free roamers can catch a TukTuk down to the Bamboo Centre to see the Trov x Oksijen Interiors exhibition.

Sponsor Shout-out

Please, Melville, come out in numbers and show that Melville spirit! A huge thank you to IKO Afrika and Melissa Thorne of The Happening Committee, who have graciously sponsored bunting to mark all our participating venues. Look for the Melville-green and white flags adorning each spot! IKO will also be open 'til late that evening, check them out at 27 Boxes for trendy African print apparel.

Also, mega shout-out to iheartideas, a local branding company that's done all the graphic design and is helping us build and elevate the Melville Art Mile brand.

And last but not least, another huge mention goes out to 21Folds Origami. Even though they can't make it to our pilot event, they have sponsored our premium tour souvenir package!

Thank you, thank you, thank you!

Koppies Check-In ⛰

On the Koppies, Merle is wrapping up her storytelling events for the year with one final session. This is your last chance to see what the hype is all about while soaking up some nature. Meanwhile, the Koppies West team will be doing our monthly 'Walk With Dogs' hike.

Storytelling on the Koppies

• Where: Melville Koppies Central

• Time: 08:30 – 09:00

• Cost: R100 Adults | R50 Kids

Monthly Dog Hike

• Where: Melville Koppies West

• Time: 07:50

• Cost: R40

• Note: Everyone is welcome, with or without dogs!

Icing On The Cake 🧁 

A Double Whammy: Booksmas & The Play Café 

In Issue 60, Anna Stroud told us about an exciting new initiative coming to the Joburg Artist Market (JAM) on the 6th of December: Booksmas! It is an initiative of FAIR, a little library project together with Johannesburg Child Welfare (JCW). But that’s not all, it’s a double whammy because JCW will also be launching the Play Café at JAM on the same day!

The Booksmas Tree

Booksmas aims to get books into the hands of young people, specifically those who lack access. As is in the case of the “take a book, leave a book” shelf at Top Dose, FAIR is an initiative that encourages communal book-sharing by enabling readers to leave the books they’ve loved for someone else to find, and take their own new read while they’re there.

For Booksmas, the focus shifts to giving books to young readers: individuals and groups like Jacana and Penguin Random House have donated 200+ books to be arranged in a Christmas tree shape from which the kids can choose their own gift on the day! (It’s the only Christmas tree you’re actually encouraged to dismantle!)

The Play Café & Emergent Visions

Simultaneously, JCW will soft-launch the Play Café, “a dynamic new space designed for families, children, and community gatherings.”

To celebrate this momentous occasion, they are hosting the Emergent Visions exhibition. Six artists will showcase new works exploring identity, movement, memory, and the future of Joburg. Expect live art performances, creative storytelling, and a special live performance by the JCW children.

They invite the community to come and uplift the children’s spirits, amplify the voices of emerging artists, and celebrate the birth of a creative landmark in our area.

Thank you! 🙏

Thank you for tapping into an exciting week of Melville Untold. A lot is happening in our hood, and we really feel the vibe!

Had a good read? Why not buy us a coffee? Payshap id: 0605293425 (Standardbank)or Snap Scan

You can also support Snaps On Seventh by buying a premium tour-guided ticket for the Melville Art Mile.

Share this email with someone who loves Melville.

'Til next week, Melville.

Stay artsy, stay authentic, stay African!

Sbohem 🤞