The iconic 702 Jozi My Jozi Walk the Talk, hosted by the City of Johannesburg, returns on Sunday, 26 July 2026, with exciting new partners, free public transport for participants, and three distinct routes that invite walkers to rediscover the inner city.
Designed to suit every kind of walker and varying fitness levels, the three routes all begin and end at the historic Ellis Park Stadium, with staggered start times.
Each offers a unique journey through Johannesburg’s rich heritage, vibrant creative hubs, and inspiring urban renewal landmarks.
Here’s a closer look:
5km Victoria Yards Route: family-friendly cultural walk
Starting at 10am, this gentle 5km loop is perfect for families and casual walkers.
From Ellis Park, the route crosses Bertrams Road to circle the scenic Joburg Cricket Club oval, a hub for community and youth development.
Walkers pass Nando’s vibrant Central Kitchen, an excellent example of the creative reuse of an industrial building and home to South Africa’s largest private collection of contemporary art.
Opposite this lies Victoria Yards, a former 1913 steam laundry transformed into a vibrant precinct of artists, designers and community gardens.
The route crosses the Jukskei River and passes the Troyeville Hotel, renowned for Portuguese cuisine and panoramic city views, before returning to Ellis Park, where participants can enjoy the Walk the Talk concert next to the Johannesburg Athletics Stadium.
8km 44 Main Street Route: Maboneng and city highlights
Starting at 9am, this route is ideal for walkers keen to explore Joburg’s urban renewal and heritage.
Beginning at Ellis Park Stadium, it winds through the Maboneng Precinct, a creative hotspot transformed from an area of industrial decline into a flourishing hub for art, culture and entrepreneurship.
Key stops include Arts on Main, Jewel City’s dynamic mixed-use precinct, and Absa Towers, the bank’s renewal-focused global headquarters.
Participants will also pass The Rand Club, the Standard Bank campus, and the Maharishi Invincibility Institute, a pillar of social upliftment and education, before reaching the Field of Dreams soccer pitch, a new inner-city sports facility.
The route continues through the former Anglo American precinct in Main Street before passing Gandhi Square and the Carlton Centre, finishing back at Ellis Park.
15km Mandela Bridge Route: extended heritage and culture
Starting at 7am, the 15km walk follows the 8km route before extending deeper into Johannesburg’s rich history.
It climbs past the stately Johannesburg City Hall and the historic Rissik Street Post Office, and continues to and through Constitution Hill, before going back through Braamfontein.
The route crosses the Nelson Mandela Bridge, a symbolic link between Braamfontein and Newtown. Walkers pass Old Park Station and the Market Theatre, a cornerstone of anti-apartheid cultural resistance, before crossing Mary Fitzgerald Square and continuing past the Sci-Bono Discovery Centre.
From there, the route passes Chancellor House, home to Nelson Mandela and Oliver Tambo’s pioneering law firm, and the striking Shadow Boxer statue, which pays tribute to Madiba, before rejoining the 8km route for the final stretch back to the finish at Ellis Park.
Partners powering the walk — and offering free public transport
Absa, FNB, Standard Bank and Nando’s have come on board as the 702 Jozi My Jozi Walk The Talk’s City Champion partners. Demonstrating a shared commitment to Johannesburg’s ongoing revitalisation, they represent a powerful alliance supporting safety, infrastructure, culture and public space improvements across the inner city.
As the walk’s official vehicle partner, Mazda supports event logistics and sustainable mobility.
Complementing this, the Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa (Prasa) and Gautrain are providing all participants with free, convenient public transport to Ellis Park. Parking at Gautrain stations is available for just R1 (excluding OR Tambo Station).
Participants can also make use of park-and-ride services, with buses departing from the western and southern areas of Greater Johannesburg.
Join the journey
With new partnerships, free public transport options and routes showcasing Joburg’s history, culture and ongoing regeneration, the 702 Jozi My Jozi Walk the Talk 2026 promises to be an unforgettable experience for participants of all ages and abilities.
Whether you choose the 5km, 8km or 15km route, this is a unique opportunity to explore Johannesburg’s rich heritage, celebrate its ongoing renewal firsthand and support community upliftment.
For more information, and to enter, visit the 702 Jozi My Jozi Walk the Talk website.
This article was sponsored by the 702 Jozi My Jozi Walk The Talk.
