Johannesburg is often called the world’s largest man-made urban forest, but tucked into its northern suburbs lies a secret many residents are still not fully aware of… The Braamfontein Spruit. At 37km long, it is the city’s most continuous stretch of parkland, linking Albert’s Farm in Northcliff, to Delta Park in Craighall, weaving through Bryanston and Rivonia, and stretching into Buccleuch.

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It’s a space that means many different things to Joburgers. On weekdays, it is a commuting route for those cycling or walking to work. On weekends, families gather on its grasslands, children kick soccer balls, couples stroll, birdwatchers peer through binoculars, and mountain bikers and trail runners carve out their fitness miles. For many, it is simply a place to breathe, away from the tarmac and taxis.

Jozi Trails, a non-profit established in 2017, working alongside Johannesburg City Parks and Zoo (JCPZ), has taken responsibility for maintaining and upgrading large stretches of the Spruit. Their goal is to keep it safe, inclusive, and welcoming. “Our mandate, from City Parks, is that we are self-funded,” says Nigel Laver, general manager of Jozi Trails. “What that means is, we have to raise the money ourselves. In the beginning, Hollard gave us a lot of support, which helped us formalise Jozi Trails, but that money has run out. Now, we’re searching for ways to keep the trails alive.”

One of those ways is a new fundraising drive, launched just two months ago. “If we raise the money, we’re going to give away a R300 000 voucher for any car at the Hatfield Group,” says Laver. “Tickets are R250 each. All we need is 6 000 trail users to buy a ticket and that would sort out our fundraising for a year.”

Other income streams include a R1 000-a-year membership, with discounts at running shoe shops, bike stores, and physiotherapists, and the Adopt-a-Kilometre initiative, where small businesses can contribute R35 000 annually for upkeep of a stretch of the trail. “We can even offer naming rights to corporates who are willing to put serious money in,” says Laver. “We’re a registered non-profit, so there’s a tax write-off too.”

Also read: Get your weekend family trail run on through the Ceres Valley

Fundraising is only part of the challenge; safety is another. “This is Joburg – nothing is entirely safe,” Laver admits, “but we connect with security companies and Linden SAPS, and we’ve had some success clearing areas where muggers used to hide, but people must also be vigilant. Don’t walk with your cell phone in your hand. Just be aware.”

To create a safe space for park users, Jozi Trails has the Trail Guardians, set up patrols by community volunteers. They observe and report on any suspicious activity along the trail, contacting security companies to step in and assist. They are tasked with simply walking the route from Conrad Drive and around Delta Park.

On the ground, the physical graft falls to Wilson Million, Jozi Trails’ team leader. Million has been there since the beginning, when the Spruit was a source of conflict. “When we started, there was only one track. Everyone used the same path – bikes, walkers, and dogs – and people fought. So, we changed it. We created three tracks: one for bikes, one for walkers, one for dogs. Now, everyone has a piece of the cake, instead of fighting for it.”

Million and his crew spend their days cutting back overgrown grass, rebuilding bridges, removing invasive black wattles and verbenas, and planting new trees. Still, resources are stretched. “My headache is equipment,” Million says. “We built bridges three or four years ago, which now need fixing. Our brush cutters are old. If someone could donate machines, overalls, or even the decking materials for bridges, it would help us so much.”

For residents, the Spruit offers entry points across the city:

• Northcliff and Melville families step in at Albert’s Farm and Emmarentia,
• Rosebank and Craighall residents use the green bridge near Rustenburg Road to enter Delta Park,
• Randburg locals join at Old Parks and Bordeaux,
• Sandton and Bryanston users flow in from River Club and the surrounding golf courses, and
• Rivonia and Fourways residents pick up the trail at 12th Avenue and Leeuwkop Prison, where it even connects to the Asidlale Adventure Park.

These different entry points knit together an entire cross-section of Johannesburg, united in one shared green space. That, says Laver, is what Jozi Trails is all about.

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