07 Joburg July: Tourism, Fashion and Football with Ntombi Msiza and Matthew Booth
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Ntombi Msiza (Joburg July | Event Director / Team Leader)
Matthew Booth (South African Football | Former Bafana Bafana Defender and Pundit)
South African sport, culture and community in one episode
Two compelling South African stories in one episode: the Joburg July, a brand-new horse-racing, fashion and music event launching on 25-26 July at Turfontein Racecourse, and a career retrospective with former Bafana Bafana defender Matthew Booth, covering resilience, mental toughness and the state of South African football. If you care about Johannesburg tourism, local culture, South African sport or personal development through sport, this episode is for you.
Ntombi Msiza explains how the Joburg July was born from a government drive to boost Johannesburg winter tourism, and what makes it more than a race day. The event combines nine horse races, a fashion showcase featuring local designers from Soweto, Malawi, Nigeria and Tanzania, a classic and modern car show, live music from artists including Jesse Clegg and Mango Groove, and traditional South African food. Msiza also shares how four orphanages, including one for disabled children, are being brought to the event as sponsored guests, and how Soweto Tourism is a key community partner. Ticket prices, hospitality packages and shuttle logistics are covered in full.
Matthew Booth traces his football journey from Fishoek to Cape Town Spurs, the Ajax Cape Town project, Mamelodi Sundowns, a brief stint at Wimbledon FC, six years playing professional football in Russia with FC Rostov and Krylia Sovetov Samara, and his return to Sundowns under Patrice Motsepe. He reflects honestly on being left out of Bafana Bafana during his peak Russian years, sitting on the bench throughout the 2010 FIFA World Cup despite playing every game at the 2009 Confederations Cup, and what mental discipline he used to stay ready. His advice on perseverance, taking personal responsibility and the urgent need for mental skills training in South African youth football is practical and direct.
The episode closes with a book review of 'The Last Bell: Life and Death in Boxing' by Donald McRae, published by Simon and Schuster in 2026, covering Tyson Fury, Katie Taylor and the brutal beauty of professional boxing.
Topics include: Johannesburg winter tourism, Joburg July horse racing event, Turfontein Racecourse, Soweto fashion designers, local entertainment and community inclusion, South African football development, PSL franchise ownership concerns, Ajax Cape Town legacy, Bafana Bafana 2010 World Cup, stadium business hubs, youth sports facilities and mental resilience in sport.
Matthew Booth (South African Football | Former Bafana Bafana Defender and Pundit)
South African sport, culture and community in one episode
Two compelling South African stories in one episode: the Joburg July, a brand-new horse-racing, fashion and music event launching on 25-26 July at Turfontein Racecourse, and a career retrospective with former Bafana Bafana defender Matthew Booth, covering resilience, mental toughness and the state of South African football. If you care about Johannesburg tourism, local culture, South African sport or personal development through sport, this episode is for you.
Ntombi Msiza explains how the Joburg July was born from a government drive to boost Johannesburg winter tourism, and what makes it more than a race day. The event combines nine horse races, a fashion showcase featuring local designers from Soweto, Malawi, Nigeria and Tanzania, a classic and modern car show, live music from artists including Jesse Clegg and Mango Groove, and traditional South African food. Msiza also shares how four orphanages, including one for disabled children, are being brought to the event as sponsored guests, and how Soweto Tourism is a key community partner. Ticket prices, hospitality packages and shuttle logistics are covered in full.
Matthew Booth traces his football journey from Fishoek to Cape Town Spurs, the Ajax Cape Town project, Mamelodi Sundowns, a brief stint at Wimbledon FC, six years playing professional football in Russia with FC Rostov and Krylia Sovetov Samara, and his return to Sundowns under Patrice Motsepe. He reflects honestly on being left out of Bafana Bafana during his peak Russian years, sitting on the bench throughout the 2010 FIFA World Cup despite playing every game at the 2009 Confederations Cup, and what mental discipline he used to stay ready. His advice on perseverance, taking personal responsibility and the urgent need for mental skills training in South African youth football is practical and direct.
The episode closes with a book review of 'The Last Bell: Life and Death in Boxing' by Donald McRae, published by Simon and Schuster in 2026, covering Tyson Fury, Katie Taylor and the brutal beauty of professional boxing.
Topics include: Johannesburg winter tourism, Joburg July horse racing event, Turfontein Racecourse, Soweto fashion designers, local entertainment and community inclusion, South African football development, PSL franchise ownership concerns, Ajax Cape Town legacy, Bafana Bafana 2010 World Cup, stadium business hubs, youth sports facilities and mental resilience in sport.
Chapters
- 00:00 Introduction: Joburg July with Ntombi Msiza
- 01:20 The Origin of the Joburg July Event
- 02:25 What Happens on the Day: Racing, Fashion and Cars
- 03:08 Orphanages and Community Inclusion
- 04:00 Target Audience and Ticket Markets
- 05:08 International Visitors and Overseas Interest
- 06:17 Fashion Show: Local Designers and Soweto Showcase
- 07:50 Cars, Music and the Sunday Soweto Event
- 09:40 Transport, Shuttles and Logistics
- 10:22 Music Lineup: Jesse Clegg, Mango Groove and DJs
- 12:48 Tickets, Pricing and Hospitality Packages
- 15:08 Matthew Booth: Introduction
- 15:27 Growing Up in Fishoek and Early Football
- 16:57 Cape Town Spurs and the Ajax Cape Town Project
- 19:27 Joining Mamelodi Sundowns: Tiki-Taka and the CAF Final
- 22:47 Wimbledon FC: A Stint to Forget
- 25:13 Moving to Russia: Rostov and Samara
- 27:44 Life in Russia as a South African Footballer
- 30:37 Excluded from Bafana and the Road Back
- 32:53 The 2009 Confederations Cup and 2010 World Cup Bench
- 34:00 Managing Disappointment: Emotional Coldness Mid-Career
- 35:33 Race, Identity and Football in South Africa
- 37:00 Mental Skills Training: A Gap in South African Football
- 40:01 Ajax Cape Town Return and Retirement in 2014
- 41:23 Best and Worst: Ronaldinho, Jomo Cosmos and Wasted Talent
- 43:59 The Future of South African Football
- 45:20 Stadiums as Business Hubs: Lessons from Ajax Amsterdam
- 48:42 What Matthew Booth is Doing Now
- 50:29 Book Review: The Last Bell by Donald McRae
