Are you curious about Hillbrow but concerned about its reputation? Want to travel through Africa without setting foot in O.R. Tambo or trace the hidden river running through Joburg? This year's #JoziMyJoziWalks takes you from iconic landmarks and historic neighbourhoods to natural landscapes and creative hubs. Led by local champions, these guided walks are a safe, engaging, and community-driven way to explore the city on foot.
"Johannesburg is a city of constant reinvention. Buildings, businesses, and communities here are never static – they’re always being made and remade." – Cultural strategist, Vicky Ross
Among the 2025 submissions, a few themes ring out loud and clear: community remains Joburg’s heartbeat, with neighbourhoods alive with the everyday magic of connection and support. Creativity fuels the city through art, music, and culture, while food tells its diverse story. Even in tough times, resilience shines through activism and art, and green shoots of sustainability – from urban farms to clean water projects – prove Joburg is as inventive at surviving as it is at celebrating.
Jozi My Jozi Walks is part of a programme of walks celebrating World Tourism Day. This initiative is led by Jozi My Jozi in collaboration with Johannesburg In Your Pocket and Gauteng Tourism.
Neighbourhood champions: Get to know a few of this year's hosts
Photo: Johannesburg In Your Pocket.
Ahead of the Jozi My Jozi Walks weekend on Sat, Sep 27 and Sun, Sep 28, 2025 we caught up with some of the hosts to find out what inspired their tours and what makes the neighbourhoods they're championing interesting and unusual. Find out more about the walks here and book your tickets here .
Josephine Katumba: Alex Unpacked
On Sat, Sep 27 from 10:30 – 12:30, entrepreneur Josephine Katumba guides an exploration of Alexandra’s community-embedded outlets created by Gcwalisa that tackle food insecurity and unemployment. Book here.
What’s the story you hope people will walk away with after your neighbourhood tour?
Alexandra is not only a place of challenges but also of innovation, resilience, and dignity. Through Gcwalisa and our partners, people will see how township communities are rewriting the story of food, youth, and sustainability, showing that real solutions come from the ground up.
What’s your connection to the place?
Gcwalisa was born in Alexandra. Our very first outlet opened on Freedom Day, Apr 27, 2022, and today six outlets operate in this township. We work hand-in-hand with local CBOs like Run Alex NPC and Moloko Meals on Wheels, and three of our outlets are run by youth from Alex. This is not just where we work, it’s where our model lives and grows.
What’s a surprising thing someone might learn about Joburg through taking this tour with you?
That in the heart of Joburg’s oldest township, solar panels on Gcwalisa outlets power homes and even traffic lights. That a community-led CBO can run a marathon, a meal programme, and a retail outlet. And that solutions to poverty and climate change are already alive in places often seen only through a lens of struggle.
Three words that describe this neighbourhood.
Dynamic, action-packed, and alive.
Aubrey Moloto: Melville Unlocked
On Sat, Sep 27 from 09:30 – 13:30 , meet the makers and taste the flavours that make Melville truly buzz with photographer, writer, and founder of Snaps on 7th, Aubrey Moloto . Book here .
What’s the story you hope people will walk away with after your tour?
That Melville epitomises Joburg's resilience, powered by a community that deeply cares for its neighbourhood, fighting the downs and celebrating the ups together.
What inspired the tour?
The tour wasn't so much inspired as it was fate. Having started a content and media company dedicated to Melville, utterly smitten by the Melville magic, tours were always destined to happen.
What’s your connection to Melville?
I was born at Helen Joseph Hospital and attended Melville Primary School. My older siblings worked at Ratz and Buzz9 during Melville's golden era from 1995 to 2005. I heard countless amazing stories, met incredible people, and felt the magic from a very early age. We left Melville in 2008, and I returned in 2021. The moment I came back, memories flooded in, and I fell in love all over again. It was a full-circle moment that felt like coming home.
What’s a surprising thing someone might learn about Joburg through taking this tour with you?
That genuine community still thrives in this city. People here are incredibly friendly, helpful, and love connecting—not just with each other, but with visitors too. Melville shows you Joburg's soul: neighbours who know each other, businesses that genuinely care about their community, and a place where strangers become friends over coffee.
