Get to know our alliance partner, Dlala Nje
Challenging Perceptions, Creating Opportunities
Founded in 2012, Dlala Nje is an innovative social enterprise that combines youth development with authentic experiential tourism to change narratives about Johannesburg’s inner city. Our mission is to challenge perceptions and create opportunity in some of the city’s most misunderstood neighbourhoods—transforming them into places of growth, connection, and possibility.
At the heart of our work is Ponte City, our headquarters and an enduring icon of Johannesburg’s skyline. Once Africa’s first vertical urban slum, Ponte is now a symbol of renewal, housing two fully fledged youth community centres that provide a safe space for young people to learn and grow, as well as a breath-taking skyline venue on the 51st floor, where guests experience the city from an entirely new perspective.
Since our founding, we’ve taken over 30,000 people on immersive tours and cultural experiences—challenging outdated stereotypes while directly impacting hundreds of young lives through our programs. No story embodies this better than that of Grant Ngcobo, one of the first kids to step through our doors on October 13, 2012. Today, Grant is Dlala Nje’s CEO, proving that investing in young people creates lasting change.
Looking ahead, our ambitions are bigger than ever. In the next three years, we plan to repurpose a hijacked building into a youth development centre, providing marketable skills that will give young people a real chance at a brighter future. At Dlala Nje, we don’t just dream of a better Johannesburg—we build it, together. Join us.
Founded in 2012, Dlala Nje is an innovative social enterprise that combines youth development with authentic experiential tourism to change narratives about Johannesburg’s inner city. Our mission is to challenge perceptions and create opportunity in some of the city’s most misunderstood neighbourhoods—transforming them into places of growth, connection, and possibility.
At the heart of our work is Ponte City, our headquarters and an enduring icon of Johannesburg’s skyline. Once Africa’s first vertical urban slum, Ponte is now a symbol of renewal, housing two fully fledged youth community centres that provide a safe space for young people to learn and grow, as well as a breath-taking skyline venue on the 51st floor, where guests experience the city from an entirely new perspective.
Since our founding, we’ve taken over 30,000 people on immersive tours and cultural experiences—challenging outdated stereotypes while directly impacting hundreds of young lives through our programs. No story embodies this better than that of Grant Ngcobo, one of the first kids to step through our doors on October 13, 2012. Today, Grant is Dlala Nje’s CEO, proving that investing in young people creates lasting change.
Looking ahead, our ambitions are bigger than ever. In the next three years, we plan to repurpose a hijacked building into a youth development centre, providing marketable skills that will give young people a real chance at a brighter future. At Dlala Nje, we don’t just dream of a better Johannesburg—we build it, together. Join us.