An initiative in Johannesburg known as Pave The Way is cleaning up abandoned public areas while simultaneously creating opportunities for paid employment for people facing housing inequality, displacement, and financial difficulties.
A Johannesburg resident, Carly Kaye, noticed issues with overgrown sidewalks, neglected traffic islands, and blocked drainage ditches near her home. By mid-2025, she began looking for ways to address these problems.
In March 2026, a conversation with the head of a local residents' association led her to the organization Cross The Divide, a non-profit based in Johannesburg. This connection resulted in the creation of Pave The Way—a community initiative that uses donations from residents and businesses to hire people for cleaning and maintaining public areas.
Since the first major cleanup on Bompas Road in May 2026, Pave The Way has conducted about 30 cleanups in areas such as Rosebank, Hyde Park, Dankeld, Parkwood, and Craighall Park.
Kaye noted that she reached a point where she felt the need to act, although she understood she could not do it alone. She reported that Cross The Divide possesses 'connections within the community and established NGO structures,' which helped turn the idea into an active initiative.
Paid Work and Nutrition
Carly Kaye manages Pave The Way alongside Jeremy Redfern and Susan Winkler. Winkler initiated the Cross The Divide nutrition program during the Covid-19 pandemic. Currently, this program provides between 120 and 140 meals weekly, according to organizers.
Her contacts with people attending the nutrition program helped form the cleaning team. Workers who wish to earn income can sign up for shifts; typically, 20 to 26 people work per shift. The team works every Wednesday, with additional Friday shifts held if funding is available. Each shift lasts four hours, from 8:30 AM to 12:30 PM.
After finishing a shift, workers return to Winkler's home, where they are paid and provided with home-cooked meals. Each four-hour work opportunity yields 250 rand—200 directly to the worker and 50 for food.
Clean Spaces and More Dignity
Since May 2026, Pave The Way has raised approximately 180,000 rand, which has allowed for roughly 720 paid work opportunities since May.
For participants like Sipho Ndlovu, the project provides both income and daily structure. Ndlovu stated, 'Earning my own money while tidying up our streets gives me a real reason to get up in the morning.' He added that the work 'returns some pride when you see clean sidewalks.'
He also mentioned that 'getting a hot meal at the end of a long shift helps more than people realize.' Kaye mentioned that the workers are grateful for this opportunity and regularly ask about working on extra days. 'That is what I would like to be able to guarantee,' she said.
Call for Business Support
Pave The Way is seeking sponsorship support from businesses to increase the number of working days and expand the team. Businesses and residents interested in supporting this initiative can find more information on the Cross The Divide website.