Some people refer to the Joburg suburb that lies between Parkview, Westdene and Auckland Park as Melville. Aubrey Moloto — writer, musician, photographer, videographer, content creator and culture warrior — calls it Home. It is the place that shaped him, and his mission is to help it rise again.
Anyone walking around Melville a couple of years ago might have met Moloto working his photographic beat on Seventh Street, and might perhaps have been persuaded to let him take their portrait. That business, “Snaps on 7th”, has since migrated from the sidewalk into cyberspace as “Melville Untold”. Moloto and his cohorts have their sights set not just on capturing the visual soul of Melville but on helping to raise the suburb’s cultural and economic profile.
Melville Untold brands itself as: “Your weekly dose of local social news and events served with a side of wit and a splash of FOMO-inducing fun.” It contains a mix of images and stories about local characters, nuggets of useful information, restaurant reviews and deep dives into the history of the suburb and its denizens.
Since its launch in 2023, the newsletter’s readers have multiplied and local businesses have come on board as sponsors. As well as creating content, Moloto and his team of volunteers offer brand-building services.
“Our business is about building community through content creation. We hope to raise the social value of Melville and, in the long term, raise the property values. The newsletter is for those who work, play and live in Melville, but also for those who used to live, work or play here — so many people have some sort of attachment to this place.”
Moloto also leads tours of Melville and its koppies, where there are archaeological remains from those who lived, worked and played here more than 500 years ago.
He was raised on Arundel Road as part of the family who for the past 40 years have employed his mother as a domestic worker. During his early childhood he was cared for by his grandmother in rural Limpopo, but whenever he returned he would come alive to the sights, sounds and smells of Melville.
“Melville had a distinctive smell. A lot of fresh produce, fruits and vegetables, and the smell of restaurants. I remember getting off the taxi and walking to our house, smelling the air and thinking, okay, I’m home.”
His older brother studied at Wits in the 1990s and worked part-time as the manager of Ratz and Buzz Nine, two Melville institutions.
“I idolised my brother and followed him everywhere. One day he was running late for work and he didn’t see me following him until we were too far for him to take me back home, so he took me with him to work. I sat on the bar and ate nachos and the waiters took turns looking after me. I was about three or four.”
In 2000, Moloto returned to live with his mother full-time. He went to Milpark Primary and “lived the Melville life”. Sometimes on weekends he and his young siblings would serve morning coffee and large glasses of water to “all these Bohemian types who would be passed out on the floor after clubbing”.
His knowledge of the streets goes back to those days. “On the way home from school I’d stop at Buzz Nine, where they all knew me, and get a free ice cream. Then I’d wander past Bounty Hunters and check out all the cool second-hand stuff, look at Pokémon cards at Outer Limits, then go home.”
After finishing schooling at Greenside High, he had some success as a rapper, studied sound engineering and worked in the film industry, learning street smarts as well as honing his creative vision and entrepreneurial spirit. Through it all he retained his love of walking and his enthusiasm for neighbourhood exploration. There have been some setbacks, but his belief in Melville and his commitment to helping it get back on its feet are infectious.
Moloto’s ambition is to take his start-up to infinity and beyond.
“I believe that this model can work in any other underrated community that, like Melville, has a rich history and the potential to become a culture hub.”
Much of his focus is on establishing Melville as a tourist destination.
“I want people, when they come to South Africa, to not just say: ‘I need to see Table Mountain and Long Street in Cape Town’ or ‘I need to see Montecasino and Maboneng in Joburg’. I want them to say: ‘I need to go to South Africa so I can experience Melville’.”
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