Last Friday, Navi Pillay became the fifth South African to bag the Nobel Peace Prize, "for her efforts to promote peace and international law". Welcome to Melville Untold, the newsletter that hands out prizes for the smaller things. No committee in Oslo required.

In this week’s newsletter,

— Aubrey Moloto, Caroline Koma

Sponsored:

There's no digest this week, just vaarbs! We're working on an interesting history piece for the next feature story. We will never bring you something half-baked, so we're digging deep to make sure the info is all correct and verified. Tune in next week to learn more about Melville's unique heritage.

This Week in Melville: 15 to 21 October, the once-offs worth planning around. View full calendar for the recurring events.

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

Don’t see your event? Submit it here. Need content coverage? Request a quote. Here’s our work.

With the next mile coming on the 5th of November, tickets are already live on Quicket; maybe get ahead and grab yours early.

As we do each month, the open call for venues and artists is out. If you have roots in the pulse of Melville, or love our neighbourhood, we’d love to hear from you. Just fill in the participant application to get involved. Applications close on 30 October 2026. Keep an ear out; we'll reach out from 27 to 30 October to finalise the route curation and venue placement. If you have any questions, WhatsApp Aubrey on 081 826 2904.

If you've been to one of our first Thursdays before, we'd love to hear from you. The MAM Post-Event Feedback form is now open to everyone, whether you participated, attended, sponsored, volunteered or are just a neighbour with any thoughts, opinions or concerns. This is the platform to be heard. Every submission helps us improve and inch closer to realising our vision.

One more thing while we're at it. Stokvel's Mysterious Island is one of the gallery's last shows before it closes at the end of October. Worth catching if you haven't seen it yet. Good news: owner Gordon Froud has confirmed that they will take part in the next Melville Art Mile event.

See you on the 5th!

Von Bolton has brought a colourful group show called Mysterious Island to Stokvel Gallery at Joburg Artist Market. The invitation is simple: Enter if you dare. Visitors can enjoy the exhibition over three days, with a VIP session on Friday 16 October from 7 pm to 9 pm, the official opening on Saturday 17 October from 12 noon to 4 pm, and a final day on Sunday 18 October from 12 noon to 4 pm. The walls will feature work by Busta Boltoon, John Bauer, Mandi Friedman, Kaila Kastis, Luke Batha and Joe Doe. The tropical theme promises sunken treasure waiting to be discovered, turning the gallery into a playful island adventure right in the heart of Melville.

Lo and behold, normal water flow returns! Thanks to persistent work from our local council and residents who log, log and log those issues relentlessly.

Since early spring, water pressure from Hursthill Reservoir 2 has been extremely low. The weak flow hardly made it to the higher-lying homes during the day. It felt like a twisted type of loadshedding to residents on third, second and first Avenues. Many households reported that water arrived in short bursts overnight for over four weeks.

DA councillor candidate  Jonathan Thompson has been tracking, encouraging residents to log and chasing the city all month long. He eventually emailed Joburg Water senior management again on 8 October and, surprise... got no reply. Since last week, JT and our current councillor, Kyle Jacobs, have been escalating the matter, including to the media.

Press coverage appeared in IOL and The Star on 9 October. The message: keep recording daily supply details and log a fault every time the water fails. Consistent reports help show the scale of the problem.

Edit: As of the time of this publishing, no water again!

Good news from our local superheroes, CREASS Community Services. The team is inviting residents to sponsor bags of asphalt and materials for a proper round of pothole and sidewalk repairs. Sixteen people have already shown interest, chipping in with one to five bags, and three more have offered up to ten bags. The repair list by section was shared on 9 October. Melville's three-body system MRA, MBA and MSI have all been invited to join the effort.

Are you one of those people affected by the state of our roads? Do you find yourself voicing concerns or terrified of the damage these pesky holes cause? Why not contribute? Payment details are ready:

The incredibly high agency guys at CREASS are taking it one bag at a time. They'll keep a hawk's eye on the account, ready to work as pledges become actual donations. Once there's enough material, the work will begin. They aim to finish by the end of November.

Two households on 3rd Avenue East found their outside water mains switched off, followed by late-night intercom calls asking for Campus Square. The MSI have informed Beagle Watch and the street guards. Their advice: call Beagle Watch. Don't go outside to investigate.

If you’d like to take part in the SAPS survey on how happy people are with the local police service, you're welcome to. It’s voluntary, completely anonymous and only for 18+. Your answers are for research purposes only.

We checked in with the Melville Residents Association chair, Darryl Gouws, who gave us a quick update on all things MRA.

“This month the committee met with members who volunteered to join the committee at the AGM and established some new portfolio members, which we will announce at the next public meeting to take place on Tuesday, 3 November, subject to venue availability,” he said. So far, new volunteers have stepped into the Land Use, Physical Environment, Liquor and IT Support portfolios.

“We are still actively looking for a treasurer”, Darryl added. So if that sounds like you, this is your call. The association is always looking for extra volunteers across its portfolios. If that's a big ask, the best way to get involved is to simply attend the monthly meetings.

Membership is easy. Beagle Watch subscribers who pay the MSIRA line item on their monthly invoice already contribute, with MSI passing 14 per cent over to the MRA. Anyone can also join directly for R350 a year by visiting the MRA website and clicking “become a member.” The recent AGM summary and presentation are still available online if you’d like a clearer picture of what the association does throughout the year.

I was lucky to be invited by Siwe Ntombela and Forest Ramushwana – the owners of Zimtoti, the indigenous plant-based bakery in Richmond – this past Saturday to guide their Yoga, Hike and Brunch experience.

It was a lovely, intimate experience as we met and took off from the Kafue Road Emmerentia entrance. About eight people took part, including two babies, so we took it easy, with the group connected by the awareness of everyone’s pace. We stopped at my favourite lookout points, not missing a chance to nibble on an ice-cream tasting snack: a dates and coconut combo. We had tamarind to boost our energy, topping us up with electrolytes along the way.

First-timers called the place "a hidden gem of Melville" and were surprised to learn that it's a heritage site, carefully cared for by the Friends of Melville Koppies. They enjoyed the 360 views of the city and the bits of history I shared along the walk. The timing felt perfect for sharing knowledge about indigenous life and African food; we learnt so much from each other, as each person chimed in when something resonated.

After the hike, the group found shade under a protea tree for breathwork and meditation led by award-winning actress Ayanda Seoka. We then broke fast with imbuya and ground peanuts, Indlubu hummus, millet and sweet potato pies, baobab and lavender juice, and sugar-free moringa cookies for dessert, ending off an incredible Saturday morning in Melville's urban oasis.

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The spooky season is upon us, and 27 Boxes is calling for creatives and Vendors. Jam is preparing for a Halloween night market filled with local art, live music, DJs, performers, fashion, food and drinks. Visual artists, musicians, performers, lifestyle and fashion vendors, and food and beverage businesses are invited to apply for this exciting night celebrating local talent and creativity, Melville style!

If you have art to share, music to play or products to sell, we want to see it. Vendor stalls are FREE. So don’t miss out on the opportunity to showcase what you do. Applications close on 19 October 2026. To get involved, apply to become a vendor through the Joburg market’s website or email [email protected] for more information.

Melville’s scene is walkable and community-oriented, with big midweek energy, so if you’re looking for a specific type of spot, we've got you:

Black Coffee’s Path Back to Melville

Jacques van der Watt shared how Black Coffee found its way back. In a Wanted piece published on 7 October, the story invites readers to check his Melville connection first, highlighting a local link in the journey and sharing the well-known musician's name.

Westdene Residents: Mind Your Dam Business

Westdene residents rolled up their sleeves for the Mind Your Dam Business project. The Northcliff Melville Times reported on 12 October that neighbours spent time planting at Westdene Dam, turning a shared outdoor space into something greener and more cared for by their community.

World Champion Returns to Her First Gym

Brixton’s Hugenote Boxing Club welcomed home Bernice “The Badger” Ferrera. The Northcliff Melville Times noted on 9 October that the two-time world champion is back at the gym where she first started, giving local boxers a chance to train alongside one of their own success stories.

Fitness Club Built on Community Health

Dennis Dlomo is shaping a fitness club in Brixton that puts community health first. According to the Northcliff Melville Times on 11 October, the club focuses on wellbeing for the people who live nearby, making exercise and healthy habits part of everyday life in the area.

 Thank you for riding all the way to the end of the line! If the trip was worth a cup, buy us a coffee on SnapScan.

The next Melville Art Mile is on Thursday 5 November. Grab your ticket on Quicket and walk the Mile with us.

Forward this email to someone who loves Melville.

One to go until Issue 100. Next week's feature is a history piece! Hint: The first line of this outro.

'til next week, Melville,

Stay early, stay eager, stay electric.

Famba kahle ✌️