COVER STORY
INSIDE CITY HALL Tshepang is nonchalant, waiting. His eye catches a stand of bright-patent coloured loafers. “Porsche design” he says, “These are the shoes we used to wear in the hood back in the days”. He taps them affectionately, reminiscing ”Amapeanuts, RM” he says pointing at the label on the back. “Eish, do you have some black patent ones?” he asks no one in particular. Jam and Ravi have started their stylistic consulting, black jacket or print? Two-tone alligator golfer shoe or black leather sneaker? The process is organic, happening in the moment in relation to the merchandise. Tshepang makes his own enquires about black berets. Finding a hat that’ll fit over the cycad that is his hair is a problem. He shrugs sympathetically. Finally a flannel lumberjack flattop is balanced precariously on top like a maraschino cherry. It works. Tshepang walks out of the telephone booth cum change room transformed into a swaggering gentleman. He hoists the trousers up even higher than they naturally sit, does a Madiba-esque shuffle dance and pompously says “Ah Jamal, go and fetch my wife at the airport, I took her on holiday to Mauritius. You can take the Benz”. Tshepang is completely natural in the outfit; just another suave gentleman in Jeppestown on a Saturday morning trying on a few casual looks. CITY OUTFITTERS I Tshepang stands and waits while the styling consultation process is repeated. A two-piece Dajicorp kitchen suit (on the cover) is chosen. The shop is small and busy. Everyone’s in everyone else’s way. Two guys are picking up and scrutinizing different pairs of sneakers. “Check these guys” Tshepang says, “they’re real Pantsula”. He shakes their hands, laughing. Do they know who he is? Do they care? It doesn’t seem like it, they’re interested in one thing only – sneakers. Tshepang disappears to change, and comes out, his black painted fingernails do strangely complement the black silky two-piece. He remains unconvinced. They go shoot down the street, in the middle of the road. This is Tshepang’s neighbourhood, his streets. He’s completely at home here, on location and in front of the camera. He switches in and out of character seamlessly. Pointing his painted fingers at the camera, slouching casually, moving amongst the people who watch on and wonder who he is. He’s sure of himself, confident, relaxed, easy to work with. CITY OUTFITTERS II For the final look, red Alaska jump suit, yellow hat and Vans sneakers, Tshepang morphs into yet another character. This time he’s Ryu from Street Fighter, shooting invisible fireballs into Justin’s camera lens. These characters are comprised in part by the outfits and part from his own performance character. It’s a wrap. Tshepang disappears without a trace. We disperse back the way we came.
– – CUSS JUNE 2011