But what made it even more exciting was that Cisco didn’t choose Joburg for what it could become. They chose it because of what’s already there.

Johannesburg is now the third city selected for Cisco’s global 40 Communities initiative, after Western North Carolina in the United States and Mumbai in India. Over the next decade, Cisco will work with 40 communities around the world to grow digital skills, strengthen infrastructure and use technology to help them become more connected and economically inclusive.

For us, it felt like a proper shout-out to what Jozi my Jozi has been building since Mandela Day in 2023.

More than 140 organisations have jumped in because they believe this city deserves people who pitch up, get stuck in and make things happen. Cisco saw that energy and said, “Count us in.”

At the signing, our CEO unpacked the work happening across the city, from safer public spaces and smarter mobility to volunteering, responsible giving and using tech to make the biggest difference.

He added during the ceremony: “This partnership is about much more than technology; it is about bringing together the energy of our people, the commitment of our partners and Cisco’s global capability to help restore dignity and pride in Johannesburg.

“Jozi My Jozi is a super-connector for this city, and Cisco is a global connector. Through Masibambisane, we have an opportunity to show what becomes possible when local action is strengthened by global perspective and practical support.”
 

From the rooftop, Innocent pointed out Education Town and mapped out projects across the skyline. Suddenly the city looked less like separate neighbourhoods and more like one connected ecosystem.

Then came the lekker part. We left the boardroom behind and hit the streets.

First stop: Maharishi Invincibility Institute. We got a tour of the campus and saw how the institute is helping thousands of young people access affordable higher education, digital skills, work experience and real pathways into jobs. That’s the kind of work that changes lives long after graduation.

Next up was the Field of Dreams.

If you’ve never been there, add it to your list. What was once an overlooked space is now buzzing with youth playing sports and enjoying community life. It’s proof that when people back their neighbourhood, amazing things can happen.

We also visited Jozi My Jozi projects across the inner city and met people doing the work daily. You can talk about digital inclusion in a boardroom, but it lands differently when you’re standing with the people making it happen.  
 

Over the next few years, we’ll focus on four connected priorities: connected safety and security; digital education and skills; responsible giving, volunteer activation and community incentives through Zlto; and Smart Mobility and Transit. These projects will collaborate to strengthen projects already underway while creating a model that can be adapted to other South African cities.

By the end of the day, the speeches were a distant memory.

What stayed with us were the conversations, the walk through the streets of Johannesburg and the reminder that Jozi has never waited for someone else to save it.

We show up. We graft and make Jozi shine.