Melville Art Mile – where art belongs to everyone

by | May 15, 2026 | Lifestyle

The Melville Art Mile reactivates the creative heritage of the suburb.

  • Once a month, the Melville Art Mile creates a walkable art experience in the heart of student life in Johannesburg, Melville. 
  • Artists, are given the opportunity to exhibit their work in a way that is accessible to all.  
  • Melville is reclaiming its spot as Johannesburg’s creativity hub.  

Ask anyone who has been a university student in Johannesburg; they have been to or at least heard of Melville. From the cute cafes to the busy bars to the grand graffiti adorning almost every crevice of the area, Melville creates a vibrant, friendly atmosphere that differs from its neighbouring suburbs.  

The suburb has begun to center itself as Johannesburg’s creativity hub. Student culture has shifted the legacy of the environment from a quiet, calm Afrikaaner area to the lively, artsy dynamic it has become. 

One event captures the soul of the suburb, the Melville Art Mile, a monthly event along the Melville Strip.  

Canvases spill out onto the streets, loud laughter can be heard all around, and handmade trinkets are on display. This is the scene that greeted me when I visited on Thursday, May 7.  The event invites people to enjoy a night of art, music, and community by providing an accessible way to curate and consume art, a welcome detour, especially for students.  

Artwork by Indoni on exhibit at Melville Art Mile. Photo by: Kerese Govender

The Melville Art Mile offers opportunities for young emerging artists to display their work. This provides them with the push they might need to fulfil their dreams. A singular compliment on their brushstrokes from a stranger or even a few new followers on Instagram, is sometimes all it takes to get one foot out the door.  

Many artists credited Melville in their artistic journeys as this environment is one of the only places that one can paint without anyone disturbing them, in reference to graffiti art. “Melville has always been known as an artist sanctuary.” Aubrey Moloto, the founder of Melville Art Mile, told this reporter.  

Thalia Ngcobo, a young artist with work on display at the event, shared, “This is a great opportunity especially for those who are starting out, because starting out is scary. Doing this is the first step in your career.”  

The Melville Art Mile is considered an “open market for artists because there’s nowhere in Johannesburg where you are able to sell your artworks to a public audience and receive all the comission,” Moloto explained while discussing the benefits of exhibiting at this event. “All you need to do is fill out an online form that can be found via the organisation’s social media pages and wait to be selected. Melville artists and businesses are prioritised as “this is for them, by them,” he further commented. 

Artist Alex Dibakwane and his artwork, Ancestral Disputes, on exhibit at Melville Art Mile. Photo by: Kerese Govender

Moloto shared that the initiative of the organisation is to remind the city as well as everyone around it that Melville, at its core, is a creative space. Another goal is to boost the economy of the area.   

Every turn that you take, every street you walk down, and every exhibit you enter, shows you exactly what Melville is becoming – a space for creatives to exist without (too much) worry. 

The neighbourhood is more than just its dangerous reputation. Moloto hopes to “shake that narrative” through the First Thursday monthly Melville Art Mile events. The organisation’s driving force is to regenerate Melville’s creative roots and bring back life to the local businesses by boosting the economy and providing work for everyone in the neighbourhood, from students to residents to artists. 

“Melville is a great example of what Johannesburg should be,” explained Neil Badenhorst, a frequent attendee at Melville Art Mile.  

According to event attendees, art has a pretentious culture attached to it. In theory, art is meant to be something accessible and interactive, a source of community. However, in practice, it has become a very clinical experience. The welcoming and vivid feel has been disrupted by an elitist and alienating crowd.  

Yet, this is not the case in Melville. In Melville, art is for everyone.  

It belongs to those who cannot afford a ticket to an art gallery. It belongs to those who can sketch in their sleep. It belongs to those who do not understand the difference between acrylic,  watercolour, or gouache. It belongs to those who can mould a block of clay into a masterpiece.  

FEATURED IMAGE: Attendee looking at artwork on display at the Melville Art Mile. Photo by: Kerese Govender.

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Thunee is more than just a game, it’s culture of connection 

by | May 13, 2026 | Sport

As the cold begins to settle and the due dates creep closer, the Wits Hindu Students Society creates a home away from home by hosting a Thunee tournament on campus.  

  • The Wits HSS recently held its annual Thunee tournament. 
  • Prizes were up for grabs ranging from R200 to R1000. 
  • The aim of the tournament was to preserve the culture of the game and create a community for its players.

With money to be won and a game you love to play, what could be more exciting? On Friday, May 8, the Wits HSS hosted its annual Thunee tournament at the Margo Steele building.  

Up for grabs – R1000 for first place, R400 for second place, and R200 for third place. These prizes are a culmination of the money raised by entry fee tickets, which cost R100 per team. 

The game dates back to the 1860s, when Indian indentured labourers arrived to work on the sugar cane fields in what was then known as Natal. A game that helped them find connection and preserve culture amid their enslavement in a strange land.  

Even though the game has evolved since, all you need is three of your best friends or complete strangers and a special pack of 28 Playing Cards. 

“To continue hosting these tournaments will play a very big part in keeping Thunee alive at Wits, because naturally certain things skip generations, and we’re trying to prevent that.” explained Aadit Aheer, the former chairperson of Wits HSS. 

The tournament was not just limited to Wits students but also open to members of the community. There were three teams made up of self-named ‘uncles.’  

Five hours. Two calm initial rounds. A captivating quarterfinal. A chilling semi-final. A crazily competitive final.  

While the game is about tricking opponents and reaching a total of 105 first, it is also about communication—how well you and your partner know each other, what a slight eyebrow raise, or nostril flare could mean.   

As the tournament shifted from a fun night with friends to an intense evening of eye contact, smack talk and cards hitting the table, only four teams remained.   

It was Uncles 3 versus Call & Loss, and Uncles 2 versus EN-SYNC.  

The entire crowd peaking over their shoulders as they played for the top prize.  

The night ended with Uncles 3 winning first place, Call & Loss taking second place and Uncles 2 coming in third.  

The winners of first and third place graciously donated their prizes to the Wits HSS Temple and a first year they had played against, respectively.  

  • Directions to Thunee tournament. Photo by: Kerese Govender
  • A hand of cards held by a player. Photo by: Kerese Govender
  • Names of teams playing in the tournament and a pack of cards. Photo by: Kerese Govender
  • Second place winners of the Thunee tournament, Savani Govender and Ashen Naidoo. Photo by: Kerese Govender
  • Deck of special cards for Thunee tournament. Photo by: Kerese Govender
  • Winners of Thunee tournament, Colonel Lionel Chetty and Kevin Peramaul, with the chairperson of the Wits HSS, Ushdir Singh. Photo by: Kerese Govender

“We would like to give this money back to charity,” said Colonel Lionel Chetty, member of Uncles 3. “For us, it is not just a game. It brings people together.” he further commented.  

Thunee is more than just a game. It is the beginning of friendships. All it takes is one look at the table to your left, a quick question, “You know how to jol thunee?” and the rest is history. It serves as a semblance of home for those who leave everything and everyone, they know, to attend Wits.  Whether it is at your grandparents’ dining room table or at the Matrix, the game lives on.   

FEATURED IMAGE: Directions to Thunee Tournament. Photo by: Kerese Govender

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