Fire in the City

A view of last weeks fire in the Durban CBD. Even from where I was which was 25 floors above the fire, we could hear the cars in the building exploding.

Half a Beetle

I stumbled upon this image while on a completely unrelated story. I was under pressure and on the move (as in running to keep ahead of the action dripping in sweat) but had to make this single frame.

I love the scene but looking at again once back at the office I realise that it was a part my past that urged me to stop and make the frame. I had a friend who managed to crash his VW Beetle squashing the roof. Did he fix it? Well no. I mean yes. He cut the roof off!

I may just go back and spend a little more time on this image now that deadlines have passed.

'We Care 4 U Forshore'

The townships of South Africa are not a for the faint hearted. On a recent assignment in Khayelitsha, Cape Town's largest township, I used public transport to and from the location. The pedestrian bridge from the station delivers you into the business part of C Section. There is a woman slaughtering chickens on the pavement, the blood flowing into the storm water drains. There are sheeps heads known as smileys which are being prepared by an elderly man who chuckles as he points out the obvious and calls me 'umlungu'. I hear that phrase just about everyday of my life.

To borrow one of Syd Kitchen's album titles, Africa is not for sissies. A western eye may see a life of hardship but there are signs in the townships of a good life. I love the fact the people do not have walls and razor wire around their homes as in the upmarket suburbs. The kids play in the streets as we did when we were kids. Neighbours gather and talk leaning on gate posts.

A week or so after the image was made I sat and looked at and realised that I had some of the detail. There is a phrase in the top right painting that says 'We Care 4 U Forshore'. After so much bad news recently not just here but globally, I found that strangely encouraging.

I found a great film when I was checking on Syd Kitchen, well worth a look.

When It Rains

When it rains take a moment to consider those living in shacks. Not only is there rain water leaking through the iron roof and seeping through the floors, and a cold wind coming in through every crack in the roughly built shanty. You then have to walk through rivers of mud to get to public transport.

And then you spend the day hoping that the rain subsides so that your home is still there when you get back.

There Will Always Be Goats

I love goats. My brother has a nightmare many years ago which involved a goat. He was assured that the goat had been put on a train to Johannesburg. So when I see goats I think back to that story and smile.

The remnants of the last elections held in South Africa with the face of the ANC's campaign being Thabo Mbeki is also interesting to me. How things have changed as we gear up for elections in 2009. And with the split in the ANC looking imminent to all but those in the ANC, I think we are in for intersting times.

A car under the trees

I was rushing about today, my 4th or 5th trip to school when I finally opened my eyes. And there framed in the cars wind screen was this picture. Well, the horizontal version of it! I hope I have not been driving around with my eyes wide shut for too long.

Rebuilding Homes - Again

Another shack fire during winter in Durban. It was no the last. And by summer the fires will be spreading through Cape Town informal settlements, respecting no persons, seemingly targeting the poorest.

When is it going to end?