Latest news with #SandtonCity
News24
10-07-2025
- Entertainment
- News24
The best winter fun for kids during the July 2025 school holidays
Supplied Winter might be in full swing, but boredom doesn't stand a chance this school holiday. With the July break stretching across the country, malls, play zones and public spaces are transforming into adventure hubs filled with building blocks, glow paint, mini motor shows and even a magical Smurfs Village. Whether you're in Joburg, Cape Town, Durban or beyond, there's something near you to keep the kids busy and happy. Here's your curated guide to the top family-friendly events happening during the July 2025 school holidays. Johannesburg Sandton City – Lego F1: Build the Thrill 5 July to 6 August | Free Shift into high gear with Sandton City's Lego F1 experience where kids can build their own race cars, compete in mini challenges and even win prizes. Interactive, colourful and completely free, it's fast-paced fun for every Lego lover. Melrose Arch – Winter Playground 27 June to 20 July | R70/hour or R140 unlimited play (includes popcorn) Melrose Arch becomes a winter wonderland for little ones aged one to 10. Expect obstacle courses, face painting, toddler zones and even Clamber Club entertainment. Plus, local restaurants are offering family deals to sweeten the day out. Supplied Supplied Mall of Africa – Playtime at Le Petit Playhouse 9 to 21 July | R190 per child (includes show, DIY kit and dress-up) Kids aged two to seven can dive into a world of imagination at this interactive playhouse filled with mini role-play zones, such as a vet clinic, café and fire station, complete with props, puppets and creative workshops. Book: popup@ | 082 499 8834 Supplied Supplied Pretoria The Grove Mall – Smurfs Village and Character Visit 20 June to 27 July | Free (train ride R30) In celebration of the new Smurfs movie, The Grove Mall brings kids a magical Smurfs experience. From interactive water zones to a Smurf-themed train and a one-day-only character meet-up, it's a blue-hued adventure not to miss. Supplied Western Cape Liberty Promenade Mall – Glow Studio (Mitchells Plain) 7 to 20 July | R20 per child A glow-in-the-dark art studio? Yes please; kids can create neon masterpieces on back-lit walls, and every ticket helps support art-focused NPOs. You can enter the photo competition to win a gift card. Supplied KwaZulu-Natal Liberty Midlands Mall – ARTopia Public Art Exhibition (Pietermaritzburg) 1 to 14 July | Free Over 300 artworks created by local schoolchildren will be on display, focusing on climate and conservation. Families can vote for their favourite and win shopping vouchers through the centre's till slip competition. Cornubia Mall – Autostyle Motor Expo 2025 (Umhlanga) 19 and 20 July | R100 (Kids under 12 free) Petrolheads, rev your engines, this high-octane event showcases SA's hottest custom rides, car culture, sound-offs and product launches, all in one family-friendly motor show. Tickets: Bluey's Big Play Don't miss Bluey's Big Play in Johannesburg from Wednesday 9 to Sunday 20 July at Montecasino's Teatro. Fresh from its Cape Town debut, the hit stage show brings Bluey, Bingo, Mum and Dad to life with puppetry, music and fun. Families attending are encouraged to support Woodrock Animal Rescue by donating pet food, blankets, toys or second-hand books to help animals in need this winter. Collection bins will be available in the theatre foyer throughout the show's run. Tickets are available via or with special meet-and-greet and VIP ticket options available. This is a must-see winter treat. Bluey Meet and Greets (August 2025) While technically after the holidays, this one's worth saving in your calendar. Beloved pup Bluey will be visiting malls around SA in August for photo ops and fun. Newcastle Mall (9 Aug), Bethlehem (16 Aug), Bloem (17 Aug), Design Quarter (23 Aug), Balfour Mall (24 Aug), Zevenwacht (30 Aug) Free | Limited spaces Show Comments ()
Mail & Guardian
10-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Mail & Guardian
Standard Bank's Art Lab turns Sandton Mall into cultural playground
Experimental: A timeline of Standard Bank's involvement in the arts over the years in the Art Lab in Sandton City in Joburg Walk into Johannesburg's Sandton City mall, and your senses are gently pulled into a different rhythm, one that pulses not with consumerist frenzy but with creative contemplation. Nestled amid high-end storefronts and bustling cafés is Standard Bank's latest gift to the arts — a concept that's not just a space but a gesture. The Standard Bank Art Lab speaks less like a gallery and more like an ongoing experiment in what art can mean, where it can live and who it is for. Standard Bank has long worn its 'Champion of the Arts' title like a well-earned badge. But that becomes more than corporate branding when you step inside this new cultural node. The Art Lab isn't just a white cube with expensive paintings, it's an invitation to reimagine what happens when a bank becomes a cultural custodian, not from the margins, but from the front lines. The story of the bank's relationship with the arts begins with a humble portrait of Robert Steward, its first general manager, painted in 1983. That acquisition, almost inconspicuous in intent, marked the beginning of a thoughtful, 40-year journey which has seen the bank build one of the most significant art collections in the country. A timeline displayed in the Art Lab details this journey. It reads like a ledger of care, each year representing not only what was acquired but why it matters. Through these acquisitions and partnerships, Standard Bank has consistently anchored itself in the evolving story of South African art. But what sets this new space apart is its resistance to stasis. Rather than a static gallery where the past is preserved, the Art Lab is kinetic, alive with potential. It's tempting to ask, 'Why not just call it a gallery?' Shop around: Allina Ndebele and William Kentridge are among the prominent South African artists whose work is on display at the Standard Bank Art Lab in Sandton City shopping mall in Johannesburg. Dr Same Mdluli, the curator and gallery manager at Standard Bank, offers a gentle yet intentional correction to this assumption: 'The space will not necessarily be strictly for fine arts or visual arts. We are also looking at exploring different expressive modes — whether it be fashion and costume as well,' she explains. This is not semantics. It's strategy. By naming the space a 'lab', the curatorial team opens it up to experimentation, iteration and inclusion. A lab suggests process over perfection, dialogue over didacticism. In the context of a mall, a place engineered for routine and consumption, the Art Lab becomes a delightful rupture, a space where art is not removed from daily life but nested in it. It's almost poetic, really. Just as science laboratories are spaces of discovery and disruption, the Art Lab imagines a world where art performs the same function in public life. When you first enter, it feels disarmingly minimal. The white walls are quietly hung with works by giants like William Kentridge, Sam Nhlengethwa and Allina Ndebele. It's not cluttered or over-curated. Instead, the display encourages a kind of breathing room, each work holding its own silence, its own provocation. The tapestries, in particular, speak deeply. There's something about seeing textile art — a medium historically sidelined in favour of oil on canvas, given prominence here that feels like a reclamation. The textures suggest labour, lineage and life itself. But more exciting than what is on display is the promise of flux. The idea that what you see today may not be there next week is, paradoxically, the most consistent thing about the space. This is, after all, a lab, meant to evolve, surprise, question. Perhaps the boldest stroke in this initiative is where the lab is situated. Not within the typical cloisters of institutional art buildings or university campuses, but inside a mall. Yes, a mall — Sandton City, no less. This is not accidental: 'We were deliberate in choosing a space such as the mall,' says Mdluli. 'Not only to catch people after, or even before, a shopping spree, but to enrich people's experience in general, especially when interacting with the space.' This is a radical kind of accessibility. In a country where the arts are often trapped behind elite gatekeeping and geographic distance, this gesture shifts the frame. Art is no longer something you plan a day around. It becomes something you stumble upon between errands — unexpected, unguarded and unforgettable. Standard Bank's gallery curator and manager Dr Same Mdluli. 'We wanted to create the sense of bringing the arts to the people,' she adds. 'There's lots of talk about bringing the arts to the people and this space is doing exactly that.' What Standard Bank has offered here is more than a new venue, it's a new vision. The Art Lab repositions the role of corporate support in the arts, not as a passive patronage but as a dynamic partnership with the public. And in doing so, it asks us all to reimagine what art is for. Is it to preserve? Yes. To provoke? Certainly. But also to participate. To play. To question. And perhaps, most importantly, to belong. In a country still healing, still negotiating the terrains of access and equity, a space like this, evolving, unpretentious — feels less like a luxury and more like a necessity. Because art, after all, should not be a privilege. It should be part of the everyday. And Standard Bank's Art Lab proves that, sometimes, the most radical thing you can do for culture is simply to place it where the people are already.
News24
17-05-2025
- Entertainment
- News24
Galxboy takes on Africa's richest square mile with new flagship store
He's come a long way on his entrepreneurial journey. What began as a provocative slogan on a T-shirt in 2008 has transformed into a lifestyle brand worn by artists, influencers and fashion-forward youth across the continent and beyond. Acknowledged by the late AKA in his iconic lyrics for his contribution to the culture, Thatiso Dube has explosively redefined the success of streetwear. The creative brains behind the powerhouse brand Galxboy have officially opened his 14th store across the country. In support of the movement, the likes of Focalistic, Priddy Ugly, Lula Odiba, Hope Ramafalo, Juicy Jay and 25k The Plug are just some of the notable names that came out to launch the Sandton City store on Thursday, 15 May – the fashion brand's most prestigious store. Read more | BEHIND THE BRAND | 'Pitori to the world' - GalxBoy owner speaks about the ups and downs of creating a world-class brand Unlike the other stores, Thatiso admits that securing this 14th store was harder and it took about three years to close the deal. 'It's tough to get into one of the biggest malls in SA, it's very tough. It's not like we can just make a call. It doesn't matter who you are, you have to wait,' he tells Drum. 'Opening in the financial capital of South Africa is huge for the brand and our journey thus far. We're not just opening another store in another mall, we are creating a cultural destination, a space where fashion, identity and even ambition all collide. Galxboy has always stood for owning your truth, and what better place to embody that than the heart of Joburg's innovation and business scene, Sandton.' Despite the hassle, he adds that he will not stop pushing more from Africa's richest square mile. 'We're here to play the game; to bring more black people to this mall and make them look good. My aim is to make everyone look good, even though they're on a budget, that's the gap I'm filling. If we perform well, who knows? Maybe Sandton City mall management will tell move us to Diamond Walk.' There's no stopping Thatiso and his team anytime soon as he still plans to open two more stores in the country and even go beyond the South African borders, into Namibia, Swaziland, Lesotho and hopefully internationally, in the UK and Dubai. Read more | 9 stores and he's only just getting started, says GalxBoy founder Thatiso Dube 'We want to dress the whole household, from the baby to the grandfather,' he laughs. While he climbs the global fashion ladder, he's bringing smaller local fashion brands up with him. 'We have an incubator/online store that's helping smaller brands. We're basically housing smaller brands and helping them produce and distribute their products and school them on the background of running a brand because most brands have good designs and good marketing, but the back office is where they struggle. And if the back office is not good then you will not go far. That's what we're helping the youngsters with.' Through it all, his biggest highlight of his journey is being able to hire young people, give them hope and empower them. 'We're here to build young people who are serious about life,' he concludes.
Zawya
07-05-2025
- Business
- Zawya
Sandton City's rooftop transformation set to redefine African retail
The property business line in the Insurance and Asset Management (IAM) business unit of the Standard Bank Group, Liberty Two Degrees (L2D), a precinct focused retail-centred portfolio, aims to continue to position its malls as hubs that offer more than just the traditional shopping experience. To embrace the evolving needs of customers, L2D intends to create vibrant community hubs and lifestyle destinations, and is thus expanding the offering at Sandton City, as part of its strategic rooftop masterplan. In line with the L2D Interactive Spaces strategic building block, that aims to provide vibrant and diverse spaces and experiences within the malls, L2D's vision for Sandton City will ultimately unlock the rooftop to future development opportunities and a thriving potential for leisure, sport and dining in the heart of Africa's richest square mile. Through the strategic redevelopment of Sandton City's rooftop area, L2D's long-term master plan is designed to align with the evolving lifestyle needs of its increasingly diverse and experience-driven customer base. Melinda Isaacs, developments executive at L2D comments, 'The development of the Sandton City rooftop holds a pivotal opportunity in the mall's evolution. "We are not only introducing new lifestyle elements but reimagining how customers engage with our retail spaces, ensuring our malls are relevant and responsive to future-facing consumer behaviours. Through this opportunity, we aim to create multifaceted hubs that support societal needs. "In addition to creating interactive spaces, the aim of the rooftop activation is to create safe spaces through the provision of a safe urban space where visitors can increase their dwell times. This will also ensure that we continue to attract a broader demographic to the centre.' Rooftop lifestyle upgrade The initial implementation of Sandton City's rooftop initiative began with the installation of Net Set Padel, a premium padel centre located at entrance 8 with the indoor courts officially opened in March 2025. With sweeping 360-degree views across the Sandton skyline, the rooftop facility features four indoor and four padel outdoor courts built to international standards. L2D's vision for Sandton City's new rooftop activation is to ultimately feature a curated mix of recreation, entertainment, and convenience-led amenities to encourage longer dwell times and attract a broader market segment. 'This phased transformation forms part of Sandton City's broader 20-year spatial plan to remain at the forefront of international retail trends, while adapting to changing consumer expectations,' adds Isaacs. Elevated urban experience By converting underutilised rooftop space into a multifunctional destination, L2D is positioning Sandton City as an integrated urban node where retail, sport, dining and digital convenience intersect. Sandton City already houses over 375 world-class brands and experiences. With this rooftop transformation underway, the centre is set to further entrench its position as South Africa's leading hub of retail, entertainment, and curated lifestyle. All rights reserved. © 2022. Provided by SyndiGate Media Inc. (
