Between despair and hope — Joburg’s cycles of life and death captured

Photo: Madoda Mkhobeni

By Kulani Nkuna

19 Aug 2024

The Jozi My Jozi initiative hopes to rejuvenate the inner city, a space two photographers have been snapping for years. They weigh in on what it means to work with Johannesburg’s raw essence.

Johannesburg’s inner city throbs with a relentless push and pull.

Grand colonial buildings, their facades peeling like sunburnt skin, stand shoulder to shoulder with sleek, modern office blocks striving to pierce the sky. The air vibrates with the cacophony of bustling street enterprises – overflowing stalls burst with goods and life, a stark contrast to the quiet desperation that lingers in the shade.

Here, echoing Charles Dickens, it is the best of times and the worst of times; an age of information existing alongside ignorance, an epoch of hope battling despair.

Two renowned photographers, Madoda Mkhobeni and Francis Baloyi, capture contrasting narratives within this ever-evolving landscape, offering a glimpse into Johannesburg’s inner-city soul.

Mkhobeni, a man who navigates the city with the seasoned confidence of one who’s befriended the streets for more than 20 years, isn’t afraid to delve into its underbelly. His film photographs, devoid of digital artifice, expose Johannesburg’s raw essence. Overflowing bins mirror the overflowing humanity that struggles to survive. Yet, a quiet dignity flickers in every eye that meets his lens. He does not find beauty amid the struggle, nor does he seek it. But it appears, uninvited sometimes.

Mkhobeni understands the city’s rhythm.

In the mornings, when the tide of humanity floods the streets, rushing to work, college or school, that’s his time to shoot, unnoticed. But come midday, he has to be sharper, more aware of his surroundings, just like during the evenings when the city empties out. His camera, a seasoned companion in this milieu, becomes almost invisible, a trusted tool to capture fleeting moments of truth.

Joburg inner city Photo: Madoda Mkhobeni

Joburg inner city Photo: Francis Baloyi

Baloyi, on the other hand, captures a different truth.

His lens focuses on the city’s potential for renewal. Architectural gems, clean streets on a Sunday, or the restoration of old structures. Some are forgotten testaments to an oppressive bygone era, standing proudly beside contemporary murals that splash across ageing brick walls. Through Baloyi’s photos, the inner city becomes a canvas of possibilities, a space primed for artistic expression and urban rejuvenation. He envisions a Johannesburg reborn, a vibrant hub where the grit and grime of the present give way to a future brimming with promise.

“Jozi is not a bad city, man,” Baloyi says. “I know it has been going downhill for some years, but I strive to find the beauty in it. There is potential for change. I mean, imagine Jozi being like Times Square in New York. I want to show the world this potential through my photographs.”

Artistic and harsh realities reside side by side in Johannesburg. But organisations such as Jozi My Jozi strive to inspire hope and pride in the city, aiming to recapture the vibrancy it once possessed. The initiative is a business-government partnership set up to “rescue” the inner city.

Read more: ‘Look what we can achieve if we stand together’ – Jozi My Jozi spearheads Mandela Day clean-up of notorious Hillbrow

Read more: Jozi My Jozi spearheads critical change and rise of Johannesburg urban rehabilitation

Baloyi applauds it, believing it’s a crucial step towards a brighter future. Mkhobeni, however, remains sceptical.

“It’s great if organisations like that are bringing hope and restoring the inner city,” Mkhobeni says, a hint of weariness in his voice. But his years spent documenting life on the streets have left him cautious. He’s seen the struggle first-hand, the desperation that festers beneath the surface.

“Jozi is too far gone, my brother,” he continues, shaking his head.

Photo: Francis Baloyi

Joburg inner city Photo: Francis Baloyi

“I have risked my life trying to capture some of these images. I know how to walk from corner to corner, street to street without any harm because I know the people who run the various territories. The recent fires in [the CBD] are just a small aspect of how people are living in the city.

“But let those who are hopeful remain hopeful. We shall see if change will ever revisit this city.”

Baloyi, however, believes.

“Initiatives like Jozi My Jozi could bring significant change, and I hope the movement goes well. Change is possible, and we can show the world another side of Jozi. That is what I attempt to capture with my work every day.”

These contrasting perspectives, captured by Mkhobeni and Baloyi, offer a window into the city’s soul. Mkhobeni, the chronicler of the real, forces us to confront the realities of poverty, neglect and the daily fight for survival. Baloyi, the architect of dreams, showcases the city’s fight for a brighter future, a testament to the human spirit’s enduring resilience.

Photo: Madoda Mkhobeni

Together, their work paints a more complete picture of Johannesburg’s inner city: a place of resilience, raw beauty, unfulfilled promises, and the constant tug of war between despair and hope. Johannesburg’s future hangs in the balance, a story yet to be fully written.

Whether the city succumbs to the weight of its challenges or rises from political confusion, only time will tell. But one thing is certain: Johannesburg’s inner city is a place teeming with life, a microcosm of the human experience in all its complexity, a story waiting to be told. DM

Be part of the solution. Join the #JoziMyJozi movement by visiting the website.

This story first appeared in our weekly Daily Maverick 168 newspaper, which is available countrywide for R35.

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