Home /South Africa /Johannesburg
#3 Best Neighborhood in Johannesburg

Melville

Joburg's bohemian quarter

About the neighborhood

Place in Gauteng, South Africa

Melville is a bohemian suburb of Johannesburg, Gauteng, South Africa. It is the location of many restaurants and taverns, which are mostly frequented by students from the nearby University of Johannesburg, located in Auckland Park, and the University of the Witwatersrand, located in Braamfontein. It is one of the city's most popular tourist destinations. The suburb is to the west of the Johannesburg CBD. It is located in Region B of the City of Johannesburg Metropolitan Municipality.

History

Prior to the discovery of gold on the Witwatersrand in 1886, the suburb lay on land of one of the original farms that make up Johannesburg, called Braamfontein. The suburb was proclaimed on 5 October 1896, and is named after the land surveyor, Edward Harker Vincent Melvill. In the public sale notice, the suburb was described as a "picturesque and healthy spot in the vicinity of Johannesburg with a magnificent view of the wooded country to the north with the blue Pretoria ranges stretching like lines of steel against the horizon".

Geography

Melville is also well known for the Melville Koppies (an archeological site, with rolling hills of grassland with views over the city), and is near the historic suburb of Sophiatown.

Culture and contemporary life

The area, along with Parkhurst, Greenside, Parkview, Norwood and Emmarentia, is one of the many areas of the Northern Suburbs still to have high streets with cafes, restaurants and shops lining the streets rather than in enclosed shopping centres. In Melville, the majority of these are located along 7th Street, although there are also several on other streets, such as 4th Avenue and Main Street (where there is also a supermarket).

There are over 30 guest houses in the vicinity, and Melville is a popular stopover in Johannesburg for tourists. On 7th Street, in addition to restaurants, there are several bars and a tattoo studio; the street is a popular hang-out for the cosmopolitan crowd.

The popular soap opera, 7de Laan, used views of 7th Street, Melville in its opening visuals.

References

External links

mymelville.co.za

whatsupinmelville.co.za

Climate 2016 flooding

2018–2021 drought

Cradle of Humankind Taung Child

Mrs Ples

Little Foot

Rising Star Expedition Underground Astronauts

Biodiversity Highveld grasslands (ecoregion)

Montane grasslands and shrublands (biome)

Afrotropical realm (biogeographic realm)

Palaeotropical kingdom (floristic kingdom)

Northern Provinces (WGSRPD area)

Timber trees

Human impact Acid mine drainage

Mine dumps

Urbanisation Sprawl

Civic buildings Johannesburg City Hall

Johannesburg Central Police Station

Office buildings 11 Diagonal Street

Chamber of Mines Building

Chancellor House

Consolidated Building

Corner House

Corona Lodge

Cuthberts Building

Eskom Centre

Johannesburg Trades Hall

Kimberley House

Logistics House

London House

Luthuli House

Markham Building

Megawatt Park

Natal Bank Building

National Bank Building

Shell House

Standard Bank Building

Victory House

Residential buildings Ansteys Building

Arop House

Astor Mansions

Beacon Royal

Circle Court

Dorkay House

Houghton Heights

Kingsway Mansions

Lauriston Court

Manners Mansions

Radoma Court

Structures Brixton Tower

Hillbrow Tower

Nelson Mandela Bridge

Grayston Pedestrian and Cycle Bridge

Urban planning Alexandra Renewal Project

Heritage conservation Johannesburg Heritage Foundation

Provincial government Gauteng Provincial Legislature

Executive Council of Gauteng

Municipalities City of Johannesburg Seat: Johannesburg

Mayor: Dada Morero

Elections

Flag

Coat of arms

City of Ekurhuleni Seat: Germiston

Mayor: Nkosindiphile Xhakaza

Elections

West Rand Merafong Seat: Carletonville

Mogale Seat: Krugersdorp

Rand West Seat: Randfontein

African Union Pan-African Parliament Bureau

Secretariat

NEPAD Secretariat

Historical companies and organisationsEvents Jameson Raid

Braamfontein explosion

Battle of Doornkop

Battle of Witpoort

Rand Rebellion

Empire Exhibition Schlesinger African Air Race

1946 African Mine Workers' Union strike

Sophiatown forced removals

Congress of the People Freedom Charter

Treason Trial

1957 Alexandra bus boycott

Soweto uprising

Concert in the Park

Westdene dam disaster

Eerste Alternatiewe Afrikaanse Rockkonsert

Storming of the Kempton Park World Trade Centre

Shell House massacre

Ellis Park Stadium disaster

Bredell land occupation

World Summit on Sustainable Development Johannesburg Declaration

2002 Soweto bombings

Jacob Zuma rape trial

Live 8 concert

Live Earth concert

Miss World 2008

Miss World 2009

Occupy Johannesburg

Murder of Mido Macia

Death and state memorial service of Nelson Mandela

2015 train crash

#FeesMustFall

Life Esidimeni scandal

10th BRICS summit

Zondo Commission

2019 riots

Shooting of Nathaniel Julies

Zuma riots

Murder of Babita Deokaran

2022 Soweto shooting

Boksburg explosion

2023 Boksburg gas leak

15th BRICS summit

2023 building fire

Events and festivals Abantu Book Festival

Encounters South African International Documentary Festival

Joburg Art Fair

In the City

Johannesburg International Motor Show

Johannesburg Pride

Jozi Book Fair

Naledi Theatre Awards

Out In Africa South African Gay and Lesbian Film Festival

RAMFest

Rand Show

South Africa's Children's Book Fair

Transforming Stories International Christian Film Festival

Ultra South Africa

Museums and art galleries Apartheid Museum

Constitution Hill Museum

Fietas Museum

Gold Reef City

Goodman Gallery

Hector Pieterson Museum

James Hall Transport Museum

Joburg Contemporary Art Foundation

Johannesburg Art Gallery

Johannesburg Holocaust and Genocide Centre

South African Airways Museum

Mandela House

Market Photo Workshop

Maropeng

Military History Museum

Museum Africa

Satyagraha House

Workers' Museum

Clubs and societies Afrikaanse Taal- en Kultuurvereniging

Automobile Association

Nippon Club

Rand Club

SAA Museum Society

South African Radio League

Southern African Vexillological Association

Greek Orthodox Cathedral of Saints Constantine and Helen

Latter-day Saints Johannesburg South Africa Temple

Lutheran Friedenskirche

Synagogues Progressive Beit Emanuel Progressive Synagogue

Temple Israel

Mosques Jumah Mosque

Nizamiye Mosque

Hindu temples Madhya Kailash Shiva Temple

Scientology centres Castle Kyalami

Newspapers Caxton local newspapers (various)

Beeld

Business Day

The Citizen

City Press

Daily Maverick

Daily Sun

Jewish Report

Mail & Guardian

Mayihlome News

Rapport

The South African

The Sowetan

The Star

The Sunday Independent

Sunday Times

TimesLIVE

Wits Vuvuzela

Radio stations 5FM

702

947

ArrowLine Chinese Radio

Boervolk Radio

ChaiFM

Channel Africa

Ekurhuleni FM

Hot 1027

Jozi FM

Kasie FM

Kaya FM

Metro FM

Munghana Lonene FM

Power FM

Radio 2000

Radio Sonder Grense

Rock FM 91.9

SAfm

UJFM

YFM

Television channels CNBC Africa

eNCA

M-Net

Me

SABC 1

SABC 2

SABC 3

SABC Children

SABC Education

SABC News

SABC Sport

Soweto TV

Film studios Film Resource Unit

Quizzical Pictures

Record labels Ambitiouz Entertainment

CCP Records

Family Tree Records

Gallo Records

Kalawa Jazmee Records

Game studios Celestial Games

Cultural references District 9

Egoli: Place of Gold

"Gimme Hope Jo'anna"

Johannesburg Festival Overture

The Real Housewives of Johannesburg

Sarafina!

"Soweto Blues"

Welcome to Our Hillbrow

Zoo City

Construction and engineering Concor

Murray & Roberts

Energy DLO Energy Resources

Total South Africa

Financial

Absa Group

Alexforbes

Discovery

Evolution Group

Hollard Group

Investec

Liberty Holdings

Livestock Wealth

MiWay Insurance

Lesaka Technologies

Old Mutual

RMB Holdings

RMI Holdings

STANLIB

Venmyn Rand

Hospitality Southern Sun Hotels

Sun International

Tsogo Sun

ICT Afrihost

BCX

Cell C

Datatec

Dimension Data

iOCO

MTN

Neotel

OTEL Telecoms

Rain

Sybrin

Teraco Data Environments

Vodacom

Defunct Internet Solutions

Luma Arcade

Vision Software

Legal Bowman Gilfillan

ENSafrica

Webber Wentzel

Werksmans

Defunct Deneys Reitz

Mandela and Tambo

Manufacturing Adcock Ingram

AECI

African Explosives

All Joy Foods

Bakers

Clover Industries

FEW

IWC

Isuzu Trucks South Africa

Land Systems OMC

Nampak

Paramount Group

PPC

Premier FMCG

Rand Refinery

Rembrandt Group

Sappi

Simba

SkyReach Aircraft

Sling Aircraft

South African Breweries

Tiger Brands

Truvelo Armoury

Union Carriage & Wagon

Defunct Basil Green Motors

New PowerChutes

Media Arena Holdings

Caxton and CTP Publishers and Printers

MultiChoice

Nu Metro Cinemas

Primedia

SABC

StarSat

Ster-Kinekor

Mining Alexkor

Asa Resources

African Rainbow Minerals

AngloGold Ashanti

Drdgold

ERPM

Gold Fields

Harmony Gold

Impala Platinum

JCI

Metorex

Northam Platinum

Sibanye-Stillwater

Defunct Simmer and Jack

Retail and marketing AutoTrader

Bidorbuy

Cadac

CNA

The Creative Counsel

Dis-Chem

Exclusive Books

Hyundai South Africa

Incredible Connection

Massmart

Wantitall

Defunct Edcon

OK Bazaars

Restaurant franchises Chicken Licken

Debonairs Pizza

Mugg & Bean

Nando's

Roman's Pizza

Steers

Wimpy

Services Netcare

SA Waste Holdings

Defunct Bosasa

Transport Avis Southern Africa

Comazar

PUTCO

Surtees Rail Group

State-owned enterprises Airports Company South Africa

Denel Aeronautics

Development Bank of Southern Africa

Eskom

Rand Water

South African Broadcasting Corporation

Sasol

Sentech

South African Airways

Transnet Freightdynamics

Defunct Lema

Companies based in Ekurhuleni

Companies based in Johannesburg

Professional associations Gauteng Institute for Architecture

South African Institute of Chartered Accountants

South African Institute of Electrical Engineers

South African Institute of Professional Accountants

Mining Minerals Council South Africa

Rand Refinery

Shopping centres Carlton Centre

Cresta Mall

Dobsonville Mall

Eastgate

Fourways Mall

Hyde Park Corner

Mall of Africa

Maponya Mall

Nelson Mandela Square

Northgate

Northmead Square

Oriental City

Oriental Plaza

Protea Glen Mall

Sandton City

Southgate

Hotels and resorts The Leonardo

Michelangelo Towers

Montecasino

Venues Ellis Park Arena

Gallagher Convention Centre

Restaurants, bars, clubs and cafés The Bassline

The Radium

Tourism Gold Reef City

Road transport Gauteng Department of Roads and Transport

Johannesburg Roads Agency

Roads

Freeways e-tolling

Buses and taxis PUTCO

Trolleybuses

Rail transport Gautrain

Metrorail Gauteng

Johannesburg–Durban high speed rail (proposed)

Trams

Rugby Golden Lions

Lions

Valke

Jozi Cats

Cricket Central Gauteng Lions

Easterns

Easterns Women

Highveld Lions

Imperial Lions

Joburg Super Kings

Titans

Basketball Egoli Magic

Jozi Nuggets

Soweto Panthers

UJ men's basketball team

Equestrian sports National Horseracing Authority

South African Lipizzaners

Sports events 1992 Return Test

1995 Rugby World Cup final

2003 Cricket World Cup final

2010 FIFA World Cup final

Joburg Open

Joburg Ladies Open

South African Derby

South African PGA Championship

Soweto Derby

Sports venues Golf courses Glendower Golf Club

Randpark Golf Club

Royal Johannesburg & Kensington Golf Club

Equestrian venues Turffontein Racecourse

Motorsports venues Kyalami Grand Prix Circuit

University of the Witwatersrand Campuses

Evolutionary Studies Institute

Global Change Institute

Industrial and Mining Water Research Unit

Johannesburg Planetarium

Philosophical Papers

Wits Theatre Complex

Wits Vuvuzela

CIDA City Campus

IIE MSA

Other tertiary institutions AFDA

Central Johannesburg College

CityVarsity

Damelin

Damelin Correspondence College

Eduvos

Inscape Design College

State schools Hoërskool Alberton

Allen Glen High School

Athlone Boys' High School

Barnato Park High School

Boksburg High School

Bopasenatla Secondary School

Bryanston High School

Hoërskool Dinamika

Hoërskool Florida

Germiston High School

Greenside High School

Hyde Park High School

Jeppe High School for Boys

Jeppe High School for Girls

King Edward VII School

Hoërskool Marais Viljoen

Meadowlands Secondary School

Moletsane High School

Hoërskool Monument

Morris Isaacson High School

Naledi High School

Northcliff High School

Orchards Primary School

Parktown Boys' High School

Parkview Senior Primary School

Sandown High School

Sandringham High School

Sir John Adamson High School

Springs Boys' High School

Thutolore Secondary School

Hoërskool Voortrekker

Waverley Girls' High School

Westbury Secondary School

Private schools Ashton International College

Auckland Park Academy of Excellence

Aurora Private School

Charter College

Crawford College, Lonehill

Crawford College, Sandton

Helpmekaar Kollege

Holy Family College

Japari School

Johannesburg Muslim School

King David Schools

Kingsmead College

Lenasia Muslim School

Marist Brothers College

Redhill School

Roedean School

Sacred Heart College

St Barnabas College

St Benedict's College

St Catherine's School

St David's Marist College

St Dominic's Catholic School for Girls

St Dunstan's College

St John's College

St Martin's School

St Mary's School

St Peter's College

St Stithians College

Torah Academy School

Yeshiva College of South Africa

Yeshiva Maharsha Beis Aharon

Alternative schools African Leadership Academy

Branson School of Entrepreneurship

Khanya College

Michael Mount Waldorf School

International schools American International School

Deutsche Internationale Schule

Japanese School

Lycée Jules Verne

Water supply and sanitation Rand Water

Lesotho Highlands Water Project

Electricity supply Eskom

City Power

Kelvin Power Station

Kibo Gauteng Thermal Power Station (planned)

Law enforcement and emergency services Johannesburg Central Police Station

Metro Police departments

Berea Fire Station

Charities and NGOs ActionAid

Africa's Young Entrepreneurs

African Parks

Bigshoes Foundation

Camp Sizanani

Children of Fire International

Global Water Foundation

LoveLife South Africa

Nelson Mandela Children's Fund

Never Ending Gardens

Nkosi's Haven

POLAF

Woman Against Rape

SAMHS units 6 Medical Battalion Group

Disbanded units SAAF 4 Squadron SAAF

10 Squadron SAAF

Category

Johannesburg

People Zackie Achmat

Edwin Cameron

Pierre de Vos

Simon Nkoli

Pieter-Dirk Uys

Beverley Palesa Ditsie

Somizi Mhlongo

Caster Semenya

Portia Modise

Gert-Johan Coetzee

Zanele Muholi

Zakhele Mbhele

Lynne Brown

Mike Waters

Ian Ollis

Organisations Lesbian and Gay Equality Project

Organisation of Lesbian and Gay Activists

SistaazHood

Triangle Project

SportJozi CatsLanguages Gayle language

IsiNgqumo

Gay villages De Waterkant

Melville

Events Mr Gay South Africa

Out In Africa Film Festival

Pride parades Cape Town Pride

Media Wrapped (magazine)

IssuesCorrective rapeOther Timeline

LGBTQ tourism in Cape Town

Pride flag

Category:LGBTQ in South Africa

Encyclopedic content adapted from the Wikipedia article on Melville, used under CC BY-SA 4.0.

Explore on the ground

Map & local discovery

© OpenStreetMap contributorsOpen in Google Maps →
🍽️
Discover
Restaurants
Discover
Cafés
🍸
Discover
Bars & Clubs
🛍️
Discover
Shops
🖼️
Discover
Museums & Art
🛏️
Discover
Hotels
From Wikimedia Commons

Melville in pictures

Melville photo 1Melville photo 2

Photos from the Wikipedia article on Melville, available under the same CC BY-SA / public-domain terms as the source article.

More in Johannesburg

Other great neighborhoods in Johannesburg