The 2026 702 Jozi My Jozi Walk the Talk will place homelessness at the centre of this year’s event, encouraging participants to support initiatives aimed at creating long-term solutions for people living on Johannesburg’s streets.
Hosted by the City of Johannesburg, this year’s walk is urging residents, businesses and community groups to move beyond traditional cash donations by supporting the Mi-Change voucher programme, a digital initiative powered by the Zlto platform.
Unlike cash handouts, the vouchers can be redeemed for essentials such as food, hygiene products and shelter, while also connecting recipients to services including counselling, rehabilitation, skills development and employment opportunities through organisations such as MES and U-Turn.
Organisers say the campaign is designed to promote responsible giving and tackle the root causes of homelessness rather than providing temporary relief.
According to the organisers, more than R200 million is handed directly to people living on South Africa’s streets each year, with concerns that unstructured giving can unintentionally reinforce cycles of dependency.
The 702 Jozi My Jozi Walk the Talk aims to use one of Johannesburg’s biggest community events to raise awareness of homelessness while encouraging more sustainable ways of supporting vulnerable residents.
Main Image: Supplied
