If you ride, run or walk in northern Johannesburg, there is a good chance you have used a Jozi Trails path without knowing who built it. Jozi Trails is a non-profit company (NPC) that develops and maintains public trails and parks in the Johannesburg Metro, mainly along the 37 km Braamfontein Spruit in northern Johannesburg (jozitrails.co.za).
We are proud to have them as a CrankMart partner, and we want more riders to know the story behind the trails.
Who Jozi Trails are
Jozi Trails describes itself as "a non-profit partnership with Johannesburg City Parks & Zoo (JCPZ), working to uplift Johannesburg's beautiful 'green lung'; the Braamfontein Spruit" (About Jozi Trails). It was started by a group of Joburgers who love the Spruit and the parks around it, and it has been building and maintaining trails along the Spruit since 2017 (Biodiversity).
Their goal is a sustainable trail system that gives everyone who uses it a better experience: better upkeep of the Spruit, restored natural and built facilities, and a trail network that works for many kinds of recreation.
A 37 km green corridor through the city
According to the Jozi Trails trail map, the Braamfontein Spruit Trail is the backbone of the network: "a roughly 37 km continuous corridor from Alberts Farm (Northcliff) in the west, through Delta Park, Emmarentia, Bryanston, Rivonia, up toward Asidlale in the north-east."
What makes it work for so many people is that the trails are designed and marked for different users. Jozi Trails lists walkers' trails, running trails, pedestrian-only dog-walker trails, bike-only singletrack for cyclists and shared multi-use paths. Keeping bikes on their own lines where possible means fewer surprises for everyone.
You will also find nearly 100 Jozi Trails signs on new and existing trails, along with information boards on trail etiquette and the relevant city bylaws (Trail Info).
Building trails is real work
Jozi Trails puts it nicely: the trails "may seem to appear like magic overnight", but each one takes planning and design that involves all user groups, looks at environmental impact and follows good international practice before anything is built (Trail Info).
Their About page is honest about the pressures a busy urban trail faces: erosion from heavy use and runoff, poor drainage that turns paths to mud, crowded sections, conflicts between different trail users, and the constant need for upkeep and clear signage. Their maintenance team deals with all of this, from clearing overgrown paths to building boardwalks across wet ground.
Bringing the Spruit's nature back
In 2024 Jozi Trails widened its focus to include the rehabilitation of the Spruit itself. Working with Grassroots Urban Biodiversity Corridors, they chose Delta Park as a pilot site, mapping out a small area on the Bantam Drive side of the park for rehabilitation towards natural grassland and wetland (Biodiversity).
Their project diary shows what that looks like on the ground. In November 2024, volunteers with "2 and 4 legged" helpers pulled out invasive pompoms and hyacinth and filled the whole Jozi Trails trailer with weeds (16 November 2024 update). Local farm compost, bought with donations from the public, was spread over the site (10 November 2024 update), and the area was seeded with an endemic Highveld grass mix (19 November 2024 update).
If you live or work along the corridor, you can register your garden. Jozi Trails says it is "on a mission to connect 100 restoration gardens by the end of 2026."
How riders can help
Jozi Trails says it "is almost entirely supported by people like you" (Donate). Every ride on the Spruit is free, and that only stays true if trail users chip in. Here is how:
- Donate. You can give by SnapScan, card or EFT on the Jozi Trails donations page. Jozi Trails notes that "Donations to Jozi Trails are tax deductible in terms of Section 18A of the Income Tax Act" (Sponsorship).
- Volunteer. Join a clean-up or biodiversity day, or sign up as a Trail Guardian, a volunteer who walks a section of the route and reports anything that needs attention.
- Ride considerately. Follow the trail rules: keep left and pass on the right, call out before you pass, let slower users go first, wear a helmet and stay on the marked trail.
- Come to an event. Jozi Trails lists upcoming walks and rides on its events page.
For businesses: sponsor a stretch of trail
Companies that want to support the Spruit can sponsor Jozi Trails directly. Their sponsorship page sets out the options, including adopting a kilometre of trail, and explains how to get in touch with the Jozi Trails team. Sponsors deal with Jozi Trails directly; CrankMart takes no part in, and no cut of, any sponsorship.
Ride the Spruit
Planning a ride? See the Braamfontein Spruit Trail on CrankMart for the route basics, then visit jozitrails.co.za for the full trail map and news. And next time you roll past a Jozi Trails sign, you will know who put it there.
Questions about this article? Email support@crankmart.com.
The CrankMart Team