As love is the air, so are our problems as a city. 2025 is off to a rocky start; load-shedding made a re-appearance, more tariffs have been thrown our way, taps have been dry, learners and parents struggled with school placements, the list goes on. There has been an intense series of online and offline events that it is hard to remember to celebrate love.

It is wonderful to spoil your loved ones today, but here’s a gentle reminder: you are a walking love letter. Amid all the challenges you’ve faced living in the city, you deserve to love yourself for the contributions you’ve made, no matter how big or small. Whether you tweeted about a power outage, shared a post about an incident, or celebrated your favorite representative after they were elected into office, you’ve uniquely spread love to this vibrant, cosmopolitan corner of the world.

This is also a reminder that you can continue to love yourself, your community, and the very city you live in. As a walking love letter, you continue to write Joburg’s love story wherever you go. This is why you always make it a point to stay in the loop of what is going on in the city. Even though you lament about everything that is going wrong, you are always able to find something to laugh about or celebrate. Just like the diversity the city offers, you are able to adapt and adjust to the mood of this ever-changing economic hub.

Joburg is a vibe and so are you. Go on and celebrate the occasion of Valentine’s with a bit of chocolate, champagne, or the greasiest kota in the hood. You need that. You deserve that. Because as a Joburger, every day is a gamble and losing is not an option. Roses are red, violets are blue.

Joburg is a vibe and so are you!