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Stuff from Johannesburg

Corlett Drive Gets Its Hands Dirty This Mandela Day With Starbucks and 919FM

A suburb does not fall apart overnight. It slips slowly, while everyone waits for somebody else to fix it.

A group of residents and business owners refused to wait. They set up a volunteer run non profit, put daily cleaning teams on the length from Rudd Road to the M1 and brought in security. Mandela Day is when the rest of us lend a hand.

“It is that special time again to celebrate Madiba’s legacy,” says Mark Pencharz, Acting chair of the Corlett Drive Improvement Precinct. “Let us all take responsibility and make our precinct a place we can be proud of. Little steps in the right direction lead to focused outcomes.”

919FM will broadcast live through the morning, so expect music and a fair amount of noise alongside the hard graft. CDIP hopes this is the first of many days like it.

Starbucks is backing the morning with reusable cups. Clearing litter is one half of the job. Not creating it in the first place is the other.

“Our white reusable cups are one way we play our part in creating a better environment,” says Daniela Jordaan, Marketing Co-Ordinator at Starbucks South Africa. “Mandela Day reminds us that meaningful change starts with simple acts of service. Whether it is choosing to reuse a cup or giving 67 minutes to your neighbourhood, every action counts. We are proud to support the Corlett Drive Improvement Precinct as they work to create a cleaner, safer and more welcoming place. Small actions can have a lasting impact.”

Sixty seven minutes is what Madiba asked for. This is one way to spend them, and you can see the result before you go home.

Join in:

Saturday 18 July 2026, 9am
Corlett Drive, outside McCarthy
No booking and no cost. Bring gloves and bin bags if you have them.
Everyone welcome, children included.

CLICK HERE to submit your press release to MyPR.co.za.

Author: Neke Ndlovu from Angelfish PR & Events on behalf of Corlett Drive.

Source – MyPR

Free Johannesburg Press Release Submissions from MyPR.co.za

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The Oriental Plaza: A Phoenix in Fordsburg

If Johannesburg is a city of forced displacements, the Oriental Plaza is its most resilient response. While the Rand Club was built for the elite and Ponte for the “jet-set,” the Oriental Plaza was born from the trauma of the Group Areas Act—a piece of Apartheid legislation designed to geographically separate the races. Yet, in true Johannesburg fashion, what was intended as a tool of containment and financial ruin for the Indian community transformed into one of the most vibrant, independent commercial powerhouses in the country.

The story of the Plaza begins with the destruction of Pageview, affectionately known as Fietas. In the mid-20th century, Fietas was a legendary multicultural hub, centered around the bustling 14th Street. It was the city’s premier destination for textiles, clothing, and spices, where shoppers of all races would rub shoulders in a “jazzy, soulful” atmosphere. However, because Fietas was located so close to the white-only city center, the Apartheid government declared it a “white area” in 1962. The community fought back for decades, but by the 1970s, the bulldozers arrived. Homes were leveled, and the thriving traders of 14th Street were forcibly relocated to a purpose-built, modernist complex a kilometer away in Fordsburg: the Oriental Plaza.

The government’s intent was cynical: by moving the traders into a controlled environment with high state-mandated rents and strict rules on what could be sold, they hoped to break the back of Indian commercial dominance. The early years were devastating; many businesses folded, and the “Grand Bazaar” felt like a sterile warehouse compared to the street-level energy of Fietas. However, the traders refused to vanish. They eventually won the right to purchase their own shops, making the Oriental Plaza unique among South African malls because it is owned by the shopkeepers themselves rather than a corporate landlord. This ownership model changed everything. Without the burden of massive monthly mall rentals, the 360+ independent stores can offer prices that national retailers cannot touch, turning the Plaza into a “bargain-hunter’s paradise” that draws millions of visitors a year.