Nicolene Olckers Photography

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ART for All, big and small.

DIEPKLOOF, Soweto - I met Thabang Selai in Braamfontein. He is the creator of a piece of art displayed against a building in Melle street. I found the art piece interesting because I noticed the bright coloured ‘name-board’ from across a n intersection. On closer inspection I found that it was made of plastic bottle-tops.. It was bright and colorful. Thanbang is based in Diepkloof, Soweto where he live with his family. He inspires the children in his community to be creative and often hosts art classes around his house. The neighborhood children come to draw and be creative. They find a place to sit and draw. On paint cans and on the portch in front of the house. “They are so creative and have amazing imagination,” said Thabang. He doesn’t always have enough paper but he makes a plan. He often use his childrens’ crayons to give to those that come to his class. To help Thabang with paper, pencils, crayons, color-p...

Ngikubiza ngo'mfazi (I call you Woman)

The Kwa Thema (KT) Hostel was originally built to accommodate migrant mine workers close to their workplace. The hostel was intended to house only men. This changed in the 1990’s and the hostels became cheap housing subsidised by government and converted to small family units or flats. Women from rural areas followed their men to the city looking for work and reside in these hostels. In so doing they changed the social landscape in the community. They rely greatly on government social grants. They do what they can and most produce ‘umqombothi', traditional African beer, to sell to the men in the hostel and residents of the township. Nomsa Dludlu a resident at the hostel and one of the women I photographed called it "the Zulu cold drink." Creating images of these women show how they have integrated into the previously male dominated hostel community. Producing and selling alcohol also exposed them and their children to other social hazards such as alcoholism, domestic ...

It is estimated that more than 40% of South Africans live below the breadline. A study done by University of Stellenbosch ’s Department of Economics the analysis showed that 47.1% of the population did not have R300 for essential food items. The report also found that although SA have a well developed social grant system a large proportion of the poorest household live in informal and traditional dwellings. The high poverty rate among households headed by persons 65 and older, reflect the destitute amongst the recipients of state old-age grants. There are an estimated 12.4 million recipients of social assistance grants in South Africa . As growth improves and more people enter the economy the living standard of many will improve, the poor will still be with us. (Images: © Nicolene Olckers/Gingernixphotos)

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All Images & Text Nicolene Olckers

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