TROUBLES & TRIUMPHS: A WALK THROUGH THE STREETS OF DIEPSLOOT
BY: MIHLALI MQALO & BOITSHOKO SEBAKELWANG
Diepsloot is a densely populated township in Gauteng that is part of the City of Johannesburg Metropolitan Municipality’s Region A. Diepsloot is a product of modernist planning, which resulted in constructivism and society based by class (Wilkins, 2018).
Diepsloot comprises of government-subsidized housing and shack-populated land, where Koko and Koki live.
Diepsloot is a settlement known for its prevalence with crime and violent protests. The area is populated by people of various tribes, cultures and nationalities, many of whom lack an educational background or a skill asset to seek employment.
This has also prevailed with how the Diepsloot spatial, economic and political injustice and environment changed the phycology of the young men in which Koko converses with (Ford, 2017)
Cultural movements such as car spinning create movements that embody particular worldviews in economies, politics and architecture (Wilkins, 2018).
What was previously associated with gang related activities became a triumph story and recreational activity. This is also a form of appropriation of the public space which was not necessarily designated for car spinning.
Koki flips out his phone to make sure he captures the mo-
There is a dysfunctional provision of basic services such as water and sanitation. Clean water has become such a scarce commodity in Diepsloot, in addition to the frequent water outages and pipe bursts. Residents argue that city councils such as Johannesburg Waters do not provide suffiecient and effective services.
Sphiwe prepares for the water cuts by storing water in buckets, which Koko supports.
Shortly after Koki meets his new friends, they are shouted at by Ma’Mkhize to move out of the way. Nonetheless, Koki and his new friends let their imagination lead the way. In Their minds they are soccer stars playing in the FNB stadium.
The lack of provision of facilities such as parks, force children to play in areas designated for other uses. Reappropriation starts in the early stages of one’s life in ‘townships’. Going against the grain becomes the new norm (Wilkins, 2018).
Koko and Koki stumble upon a crowd. Curious to find out why everyone is cheering they take a closer look to find DJ’s and two of Diepsloot’s most popular Panstula groups having what looks like a dance battle.
This form of expressions eKasi forms a part of the ‘vibrant creative scenes’ (Noisey, 2016) in SA that seek to combat psychological and cultural-political issues left behind by Apartheid amongst Black youth.
Residents of Diepsloot architecture is similar to how hip-hop has influenced urban environments. They used devalued material such corrugated iron sheet from the refuse of the post-industrial urban environment and made a community, creating ‘something’ from ‘nothing’ (Wilkins, 2018). Thus, inviting people to name themselves in their own voice, place and time.
Koki was intrigued by the shacks form as they made their way home.
Koki is shocked to see the chickens on the side of the road – worried that they would be stolen he shares his concerns with Koko. Koko tells Koki that these chickens were to be sold by a local vendor who owns them and reassures him that there is a mutual respect for each other’s hustle eKasi.
Cost of living rises along with unemployment in South Africa, further marginalizing already marginalized groups. The culture of self-reliance and resilience is the main driver of self-employment (Van Wyk & Gaalan, 2021).
A quick exchange with Bra K and his friend who are talking away as they sit on buckets and ‘stoops’. Koko expresses how tired she is from their long from over journey on foot. She wishes there were better transport systems in Diepsloot to take them closer to where they need to be.
Reliance on public transport can prove to be difficult for many who live in Diepsloot. The lack of meter taxis and private transportation leaves communities with little to no option but to adapt to their circumstances (WSP, 2013).
Relieved to be nearing home after a tiresome and exciting journey, Koki is surprised to see the changes Koko made to her home… He is even more shocked to see his parents waiting to take him home. Koki wants to stay an learn more about wherehis father grew up. He has never experienced such fun adventures in his own neighborhood.
Throughout the journey, display of architectural justice is one often seen in South African ‘townships’ (areas often described by outsiders at informal and disorganized) –with Black communities being the architects of their own experiences - physical and psychological (Ford, 2017).
Come along with KOKO & KOKETSO on a journey of discovery through the streets of Diepsloot. For a young Koketso this walk is one that is particulalry informative. The journey highlights many troubles and realities cause by planning systems (and other factors) of the present and past in South Africa and the triumphs, in the way Black communities combat these issues. Suburbanite Koki gets to experience what feels like a completely different world. Interacting with both invited and invented spaces while learning about who makes these spaces come alive. The inviting township culture of ‘DiepCity’ seemingly sucks Koki in almost immediately. An undeniably interesting journey indeed, Koki cannot wait for his next visit with Koko.
Authors; Mihlali Lorraine Mqalo and Boitshoko
Oratile Sebekelwang aimed to highlight the realities of DiepCity and it’s cultural norms & people, - their utilisation and personalisation of space. Factors of political, socio-economic and spatial truths are brought to the forefront along with ability of Black youth to continuously overcome and manoeuvre through these troubles, by use of expression and re-appropriation of their spaces. Let the journey begin.
REFERENCING
• The Architecture of Hip Hop | Craig Wilkins | TEDxDetroit https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZkNJz0gHyzw&ab_channel=TEDxTalks
• Hip Hop Architecture: The Post Occupancy Report of Modernism | Mike Ford | TEDxMadison https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N4J5Y_4_ddM&ab_channel=TEDxTalks
• Born Free: Hip Hop in Johannesburg https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=npdpOTWhXjc&ab_channel=Noisey
• Miraftab, F., 2009. Insurgent planning: Situating radical planning in the global south. Planning theory, 8(1), pp.32-50.
