Hey Melville, Welcome to Melville Untold. A newsletter made for a community that cares.

In today’s Melville Untold,

• What Happens When Neighbours Unite

• Paint & Sip For Days

• The Museum Of Broken Hearts: A Grand Opening

Let’s go. 

— Aubrey Moloto, 

The Digest

What Happens When Neighbours Unite

In the heart of every community lies a powerful yet simple truth: when neighbours unite, they don't just clean streets—they transform entire neighbourhoods. Beyond the bags of collected litter and repaired pavements, community cleanups weave a tapestry of connection, pride, and shared responsibility that breathes new life into our shared spaces.

In the last few newsletters, we've been gaaning aan about the big community clean-up headed by our community's beloved Danyle Nunes and his urban management company CREASS. Well, it finally happened, and he was backed up by our three-body system, MSI, MBA, and the MRA, as well as other community organisations like Beagle Watch and some Melville residents. We joined in the fun this past weekend, got some cool snaps, and spoke to the people involved so we can report back to you.

Community Challenge

The driving force behind the cleanup was the litter and infrastructural decay along Main Road, 4th Avenue, and 7th Street—areas identified as needing the most attention. In The Northcliff Melville Times last week, Danny talked about how these areas reflect the "broken window theory" where visible signs of neglect can lead to further decline in a neighbourhood. This big cleanup effort was about counteracting a cycle of decay.

Community Organisation

Our local superhero played a central role in organising the event. He used a strong network of contacts and activations to bring in the necessary resources. This clean-up relied heavily on the community for resources and volunteered time and effort. Businesses and technical teams came through for Melville. Residents, not so much. We were all extremely underwhelmed with the number of residents who pitched up, considering the amount of unrest in community chat groups.

We had four residents (who weren't part of a business): Phumzile Mlungwana, Lynn Grobbelaar, Rogan De La Perẽ, and Tambu. These four residents put in a serious shift. Well done to them, and thank you for your contribution. We hope they inspire others so this number can grow in future clean-ups.

Various businesses and organisations also contributed to the success of the event through sponsorships and support:

- Beagle Watch provided security and mobilised their environmental team

- CREASS Community Services assisted with road and sidewalk work and swept up a lot of litter

- Mays Pharmacy and their team took care of their block and the pedestrian walkway into the Boulevard on the corner of 4th and Main

- Lew Geffen Sotheby's tackled graffiti, posters, and stickers left on poles, walls, bus stops, road signs, and robots

The Work

Even though we didn't manage to get to 7th Street, tons of good work was done. Highlights include:

- The boulevard corner received a makeover

- Bushes were trimmed down

- Litter and paraphernalia left by homeless individuals were cleared

- Greenery was weeded, walkways raked and swept

- Long strips of wire were rolled up and disposed of

The Sotheby's team collected massive amounts of litter and cleared illegal dumping from Main, up 4th Avenue, down 6th Street, up to 1st Avenue, and back around, ensuring all streets in between were addressed.

Danny and the CREASS team worked diligently in the beating sun to restore road markings at the intersection of 4th Avenue and 3rd Street, repair the sidewalk, and leave the area looking brand new!

The Beagle Watch team also put in a massive shift:

- Trimmed and weeded the island outside Lovemore Music

- Cleared sidewalks from Main to 9th Avenue

- Removed litter, bushes, and weeds

Sponsors and Motivation

Lew Geffen Sotheby's representatives Willem, Cornel, and KCobus shared their company's "Love Your Neighbourhood" values. They believe that taking pride in the community leads to a greater willingness to contribute to its well-being.

As long-term residents who have lived in and around Melville for more than 30 years, they understand it's in their best interest to maintain a clean, well-managed community. They hope their actions will inspire others, especially fellow estate agents, to contribute to keeping the suburb clean and tidy.

Resident Perspectives

Residents like Phumzile and Rogan shared a strong connection to Melville and a desire to contribute to its well-being. Phumzile heard about the cleanup through the 2nd Avenue WhatsApp group and felt compelled to make a positive impact.

Lynn appreciated the social aspect, seeing the cleanup as an opportunity to connect with fellow community members. Rogan was inspired by Danny's continuous community work and offered his help for future initiatives.

What's Next?

Danny plans to organise similar events every three or four months. The next cleanup is scheduled for January, with goals to:

- Tackle 7th Street

- Ensure ongoing maintenance of previously cleaned areas

- Encourage more active resident participation

His vision is to create sustainable improvements rather than one-off events, empowering residents to take ownership of their neighbourhood.

Are you ready to be part of the change? Stay tuned for our next community event!

If you enjoyed today’s article about our big community clean-up event consider buying us a coffee.

What’s Happenin’ 🤔

As we barrel towards the end of the year, we bring you lots to do to get the festive spirit rolling! Seems like it may involve lots of sipping and lots of painting! Here’s a guide to a fun weekend in our hood.

Melville Weather For The Week ☔️ 

We can never be to sure about weather predictions. But it looks like it’s going to rain on Wednesday!

Tuesday

29° 🌡️ 17°  | 🌤️ |  🌧️ 3% | NNW 13km/h 💨

Wednesday 

28° 🌡️ 11°  | ⛈️ |  🌧️ 57% | WNW 17 km/h 💨

Thursday  

25° 🌡️ 10° | ☀️ | 🌧️ 0% | S 13 km/h 💨

Friday 

27° 🌡️ 12° | ☀️ |  🌧️ 0% | WNW 9 km/h 💨

Saturday 

29° 🌡️ 14° | 🌤️ |  🌧️ 0% | WNW 9 km/h 💨

Sunday

31° 🌡️ 13° | 🌤️ |  🌧️ 0% | NW 13 km/h 💨

Monday 

32° 🌡️ 13° | ☀️ |  🌧️ 1% | NW 17 km/h 💨

Don’t forget your umbrella!

Live & Music Events Lowdown 🎸

Tons of live events this week in the Ville! Our picks are Smoking Kills’ Punk Report and The Impande Jazz Association gig at Chiesa di PAZZO LUPi. Punk bands at SK are always a memorable experience. We once did a shoot for Impande at The Plug Melville and it was a mind blowing performance! Here are this week’s music events and gigs.

26/11 Tuesdays | 7pm - 10pm | Xai Xai Lounge | Eric Miyeni & Richard Jones playing live music | Free entry

26/11 Tuesdays | 7pm - 10pm | Coca Lounge | Artist open showcase/performance | Free entry

27/11 Wednesday | SIX Cocktails Bar | Live Jazz Sessions - Marcus Wyatt, Yonela Mnana, Nhlanhla Radebe, Sphiwe Shiburi | 8 pm til late | Free entry 

27/11 Wednesdays | Blanco On 7th | Culture On 7th - Slam Poetry, Live Music, Comedy | Free entrance 

28/11 Thursdays | 7pm - 10pm | Coca Lounge | Open Mic - Plug in, play, sing and rap | Free entry

28/11 Thursday | 7 pm - 9 pm | Chiesa di PAZZO LUPi | The Scullery Quintet | Tickets from R200

29/09 Friday | Smoking Kills Bar | Punk Report III - Cloudsurfers, The Tazers, Sextape, Buru Azeban | Tickets from R50, R80 at the door

29/11 Friday | 7 pm - 11 pm | Chiesa di PAZZO LUPi | Impande Musician Association | Tickets from R120

30/11 Saturday | 11 am - 1 pm | Chiesa di PAZZO LUPi | Tatjana’s Music Studio - End Of Year Concert | Free Entry

30/11 Saturday | 7 pm - 11 pm | Chiesa di PAZZO LUPi | Greg Moonsammy & Jazz Xpressions | Tickets from R200

30/11 Saturday | 5pm til late | White Campus Square | Saturday Night Live - Live Music | Every Saturday | Free entry, no demands

1/12 Sunday | 1 pm - 4 pm | Karaoke Kong | Folk Fest - Lakesides & Lanterns Indie-folk performances | Tickets R50 |

1/112 Sunday| 4pm | Jo’anna Meltbar | Sola Vida Drum & Bass | 1/2 price cocktails | Free entry all day

1/12 Sunday| 8pm - 10pm | Coca Lounge | Vynil Sundaze - DJ Mo, DJ Peppe, Dj Ferose, JusDane & DJ Ashwin | Every Sunday

2/12 Monday | Blanco On 7th | Mogodu Lifestyle Monday | Reservations 0662082548

If this comprehensive weather and gig guide helped you, consider buying us a coffee.
You can tip us using Payshap - ShapID: +27-605293425

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

Melville Koppies Check-in ⛰️

This past weekend was epic doing the 8km trail at Koppies Central. Anyone who hasn’t tried it before, we really cannot reccomend it high enough.

If you think you’re very familiar with the Koppies and it’s not for you, you are sorely mistaken. You get so much knowledge about the Koppies and Melville as a whole, to meet some amazing people local and international, a dose of nature, fresh air and a reset and most importantly a fun way to get a bit of exercise in!

Here’s the low down for this week at Melville Koppies Central.

This week’s Activities:

• Free roaming

• Bird-watching

• Photography

• Meditation sessions

Pricing:

• Adults: R90

• Children: R50

Gates open 8:30 AM - close 11:30 AM

Contact Wendy for bookings: 079 532 0083

See you there!

Icing On The Cake

Sweet Little Stories From Our Streets

Community Highlights

🎭 The Franklin Players' Pantomime: The Elves And The Shoemaker

What a theatrical treat! We were thrilled to be invited to the Franklin Players' Community Theatre 2024 Pantomime at the Roosevelt Recreation Centre. Did you know this incredible community theatre group has been entertaining their community since 1962?? Bringing together talents from Melville, Westdene, Aucklandpark, and surrounding areas, these part-time actors prove that passion knows no bounds.

Melville’s very own Anna Stroud stole the show with her hilarious performance as a henchman crocodile alongside the shoe villain, Monsieur Filip Folop. The 2-hour spectacle flew by in a blink—a testament to the group's incredible storytelling and energy.

Bravo, Franklin Players! We can't wait for your next production!

💔 The Museum of Broken Hearts: A Grand Opening

A touching new addition to Melville is about to open its doors. After experiencing his own heartbreak, Christopher Aron has transformed a home on 2nd Avenue into a powerful healing space—The Museum of Broken Hearts.

Grand Opening Details:

- Date: Sunday, 1st December

- Time: 2-5 PM

- Location: 72 2nd Avenue, Melville

How can you participate?

1. Bring an artefact representing your heartbreak journey

2. Wrap fragile items in bubble wrap, then newspaper

3. Include a note sharing:

- Your heartbreak story

- When it happened

- Your healing timeline

Want your item returned? Simply include return instructions and address.

After the grand opening, the museum will be open every Sunday from 8 AM to 5 PM

Contact:

- Chris: 076 704 8819

- Georgia: 082 844 8801

🕯️ Farewell to Dominique's Angel Shack

It's with a heavy heart we announce the closing of Dominique's Angel Shack in the New Year. A true part of 7th Street and Melville's premier spiritual products provider, Dom's has been a part of our community for many 3 years after taking over from Snow Lion.

Closing Sale Alert! 

Stock up on incense, Christmas gifts, and memories. Let's give Dom and her team the send-off they deserve!

Pro Tip: Don't miss their huge closing sales—the perfect chance to support a local business one last time.

To Dominique and the team: Thank you for your years of service to our community. Your spirit will be deeply missed!

Extra Black Friday Specials

Dominique’s Angel Shack (Closing down discounts)

• 5 x incense boxes for R110

• Nepal Incense for R80, 2 for R130

• up to 50% off on products

• Mystery bags from R50 - R200

ZA.ETC

• Specials available in-store

U-Turn

• 50% off all clothing

• 70% off furniture and glassware

• 20% off Truworths clothing

NXT LVL

• Big specials off specialised product, ask for details in store

Blade Barber

• 20% off Turkish hair and body products

• 30% off cellphone repairs (cellphone guy situated inside)

Baker Brothers

• Call for special orders with discounts (0634534191)

Cape Cottage

• Discounts available in store

Thank you! 🙏

Thank you for tuning in to this week’s Melville Untold. With all the issues our suburb has been facing, we hope this week’s article could have brought a little light and positivity to your already hectic week!

If you made it this far, in the spirit of Black Friday we’d like to offer you an exclusive deal for our content creation services. Any year end function or event booking made before the release of our next newsletter gets a 25% discount. This special is for the people who really tap in to our newsletter and read them til the end. We appreciate you. 🤍✨

As the month comes to an end we’d like to appeal to businesses to support our mission. Sponsor our newsletter for an ad placement in return. We don’t want to fill the newsletter up with ads so there’s limited space. W’re looking for a headline sponsor, primary, secondary and tertiary ad placement sponsor. Reply to this email for more information.

Stay thoughtful, stay bold, stay united

'Til next Tuesday Melville

 Hej då ✌️