Melville has been Johannesburg’s bohemian enclave since intellectuals and artists from nearby Wits University started colonising it in the 1970s, and 7th Street’s pedestrian-friendly strip of independent restaurants, bars and bookshops — almost entirely free of chain stores — still carries that character today.
A walkable, artistic suburb built on a grid
Melville’s residential streets follow a numbered grid — avenues 1st through 6th, plus Main Road, Rustenburg Road and 7th Street itself — lined with older homes, many converted into guesthouses, student digs or boutique offices over the decades. The Melville Koppies Nature Reserve, a protected archaeological site on the suburb’s northern edge, gives residents genuine green space and a direct link to the area’s deeper history within walking distance of the café strip. What sets Melville apart from most of Johannesburg is how much of daily life happens on foot — a rarity in a city built overwhelmingly around cars.
DStv installation in Melville
Melville’s older homes — many now serving as guesthouses or converted multi-let properties — get a mix of standard single-view installs and, where a property houses multiple separate tenants or guest rooms, shared-distribution setups from one dish. We assess each property on its own terms: a converted guesthouse needs a different approach to cabling and decoder placement than a single-family home on the same street.
Signal repairs, Extra View and equipment
Melville sees the standard Highveld rain-fade pattern, with ageing cabling in older converted properties the most common cause of gradual signal issues — we trace the actual route before assuming what the original wiring looks like. Extra View and multi-decoder setups suit Melville’s guesthouses and larger converted homes well. Standard equipment is a 60cm dish and Smart LNB with RG6 cabling.
Areas near Melville we also cover
Melville borders Auckland Park and Parktown, both covered on their own pages.
Frequently asked questions — Melville
Can you install DStv at a guesthouse with multiple rooms?
Yes — including shared distribution setups from one dish where that’s the more practical option.
Do you trace and fix old cabling in converted homes?
Yes — we test from the decoder back to the dish to find where a signal problem actually starts before replacing anything.
Are your prices fixed before the job starts?
Yes — every quote is written and confirmed before any work begins.
Do you offer free site surveys?
Yes — at no charge, anywhere in Melville.
Do you offer weekend installations in Melville?
Yes — Saturdays and Sundays are included in our normal service.
Why Melville chooses DStv 365
- MultiChoice-accredited technicians who carry ID
- Written quote before any work starts
- 12-month workmanship warranty on every install
- Genuine DStv-approved equipment only
- Experience with guesthouses and multi-let converted homes
- Same-day or next-day bookings, weekends included
