Light moves in fascinating ways through a city. It cuts through, around, over and between a mosaic of buildings, creating irregular geometric moments of contrast that feel like small openings in the chaos of Johannesburg.
This interplay of light and structure mirrors the spirit of the people-powered movement Jozi My Jozi. It puts a spotlight on the energy, resilience and moments of clarity that exist within the city’s noise, bringing focus and hope to what is already there.
The shapes light makes in the city became the brief for building the new Jozi My Jozi website. Working with the boutique design firm We Are Bizarre, Flow built it, and I’m so effing proud to have been a part of it.
Jozi My Jozi is one of those rare organisations that has genuine integrity in the sense that it is not interested in spin or puffery. It’s a movement built to reimagine what the city could be and that’s exactly what it is: a super-connector that brings together businesses and residents of the city into constructive collaboration with other stakeholders to revitalise the best city in Africa.
Jozi My Jozi is a movement focused on safety and security, education, arts and culture, sport, tourism and community well-being. It is working towards a Jozi that is cleaner, safer and works for everybody who calls the City of Gold home.
Jozi My Jozi does not shy away from the challenges that Joburg faces, it embraces them. It tackles homelessness, property development and placemaking with a joyful spirit and a smile. The new website is a reflection of that spirit, built on moments of possibility in the city: something phenomenal that acknowledges the grime, the shadows and the hustle, and brings it all together with a message of hope and action.
My first tangible experience with Jozi My Jozi was when it hosted the first-ever Main Street Sundays event earlier this year – a day when cars were banished to prioritise people on Main Street. From Gandhi Square all the way down to Anderson, the streets were filled with families, couples, artists, cyclists and music. I bumped into so many old friends from high school, neighbours and family members. Everyone came down to the CBD to enjoy being a community.
Through Main Street Sundays, so many businesses in the city benefited from all the new sales they were making. Spaces that barely anybody knew about were suddenly noticed with the promise of “I must come back here and check it out”.
Working on a Sunday is usually a nightmare. I already had the Sunday blues, but I left that day feeling seriously revitalised. I needed Main Street Sundays. I needed an excuse to be in the city, see my friends and be in the sun with the people with whom I share this incredible city.
The shapes on the website were no walk in the park to code. Even the font used is not generally web-friendly, but Flow made it work, inspired by the spirit of Jozi My Jozi.
“It looks dope, you know? I love it, it’s fresh, it’s youthful, it’s vibrant, it really represents what the city is about,” says Jozi My Jozi’s Mbali Zulu.
There’s still lots to do and build on the site, so visit it and visit it often – it’s a fantastic place to browse. And respond to the call to action on the new website: Experience Jozi. Love Jozi.
