
Primrose and Makause, unequal neighborhoods in Johannesburg, South Africa.

Lake Michelle and Masiphumelele, Cape Town.
This location, which I first photographed in 2016 as the first location for Unequal Scenes, is a microcosm of the country. The steadily expanding township of Masiphumelele, shacks spilling out into a wetlands and all but invisible from the road, extends towards the electrified fence of Lake Michelle, a wealthy gated estate. Every time I return here the shacks have expanded, and moved closer to the fence. Soon, the tens of thousands of residents living in tin shacks, all of them black, many of them unemployed, suffering from high rates of TB and HIV, will be pressed right up against these luxury homes. At some point, I have to wonder - when is something going to give?

Hout Bay, Cape Town.






Papwa Sewgolum Golf Course, Durban.











Kya Sands and Bloubosrand, Johannesburg.

Wolwerivier, Cape Town.

Msawawa and Cedar Creek estates, Johannesburg.


“…I’m a bit more privileged…because I found myself in a situation where I can make a living for myself. I found that because of this piece of land that I’ve got I can give my family a settlement and they don’t have to really struggle to get a house. …But then again you get guys that come out of shacks like this…and this is to me very important…what you make out of yourself. You can also go stay in Constantia (a rich area), wherever you want to go and stay but it determines whether you want to lift yourself up, you want to educate yourself, and you want to make something out of yourself.
I can’t be frustrated, really, honestly, I can’t be frustrated for people staying in nice houses, having nice flashy calls and stuff like that. And I don’t see really, honestly, I don’t see the reason why I should be frustrated.”





Asiphe Ntshongontshi, resident of the informal area of Masiphumelele.










🔹🔹🔹














My image of Primrose and Makause on the cover of Time Magazine, May 2019.