The Mean Streets of Hillbrow
On my recent post about downtown Joburg, I received some questions about Hillbrow – a huge residential community overlooking the city center. I now have some answers.
Hillbrow was a bustling middle-class neighborhood until the end of apartheid rule, when it began to transform. Similar to many 20th-century American inner cities, Hillbrow’s white middle class fled to the suburbs, making way for poor black South Africans (who were previously barred from living in places like Hillbrow) and immigrants from across the continent. The population soared and crime grew rampant; Hillbrow became a “no-go” area for visitors.
Five years ago it would have been difficult (maybe impossible) for me to walk in Hillbrow and not get robbed. But the times, they are a-changin’. Yesterday I slung my camera over my shoulder and joined the Joburg Photowalkers for a jaunt through what most people consider to be Jozi’s meanest streets.
Our group met up at the Lutheran Community Outreach Foundation, a community center on Edith Cavell Street. This place deserves its own post so I’ll save it for later.
At the center we met up with Tim Rees-Gibbs, a lifelong Hillbrow resident and member of the South African Police Service Youth Division. Under Tim’s watchful eye, we wandered a few blocks of Hillbrow and shot photos of what we saw. I must admit, though, that I was often having too much fun to take pictures.
When I got home last night and looked through my photos, I realized that I’d captured a fairly “happy” picture of Hillbrow. I’m generally a happy person so I guess my camera is drawn to happy images. And it’s true that Hillbrow seems like any other place in the world – people live there and go about their business, feeling happy and sad and everything in between.
But I feel like I need balance out my happy images with a bit of reality. Hillbrow is still plagued by poverty, overpopulation, and crime. Not all the buildings are freshly painted and not all the streets are clean. I felt safe walking around because I was with a group and a knowledgeable guide. But it would absolutely not be safe for me to go there alone.
[Disclaimer: Take everything written here with a grain of salt, as I’ve spent a total of three hours in Hillbrow and actually have no idea what I’m talking about.]
That said, I would highly recommend visiting Hillbrow. It’s one of the coolest things I’ve done since moving here. The Parktown and Westcliff Heritage Trust is hosting a walking tour there next weekend. Or you can contact the Lutheran Community Outreach Foundation and ask for Gerard.
Comments
Building hijacking never stops to amaze me either. For a fabulous local movie that deals with the topic, see the gangster flic ‘Jerusalema’ which was partly filmed in Hillbrow. It was on TV recently and the quality and humour (yes) of the story really surprised me. Louis Theroux also made a documentary about Johannesburg in which he talks about it, and though it’s interesting, he does sensationalise the dangers of Joburg a bit too much for my liking.
Ah, Jerusalema. I was trying to remember the name of that movie. Thanks – will check it out. And thanks again for the ride yesterday! Hope the wedding was fun.
Jerusalema was the movie I watched when flying here for our look-see trip. I wasn’t at all sure what to expect after that. Needless to say, a life in Dainfern is as far removed from what you see in that movie as a life in Alaska. But it was a great movie, and I also thought about it immediately when reading your post.
I still need to see that movie.
Louis Theroux (British journalist) visited Hillbrow (could be about a year ago) - I felt really ill watching where he went and what he uncovered. He often films documentaries and he did one on Diepsloot as well.
That last image is the one that stands out for me - there’s the future!
Indeed :)
Fascinating post! I’m not familiar with entire buildings being “hi-jacked.” I’d love to know more about that. How does it happen? Over a period of time? And why do the police not intervene? I know in Haiti, there could be a lot of reasons, but I’m thinking SA can probably pay for a decent police force. I would guess it’s a matter of bribes and officials being paid off.
Thanks so much for this post. I loved it!
blogging from Haiti, Kathy
I didn’t get the chance to talk in depth about how the hijacking works, although apparently there was a good movie made about it called Jerusalema. It was actually filmed in the place where I shot that picture of the hijacked buildings. I imagine it happens through a combination of incompetent policing and bribery. The police seem to be getting things under control with the help of private and community security efforts, but I think downtown Joburg was a pretty lawless place in the years immediately after apartheid ended. Even this weekend, I only saw one police vehicle the whole time I was in Hillbrow.
If you Google Louis Theroux (Hillbrow) he explains exactly how buildings are taken over by criminals.
I’d love to do one of these Photowalks - will check it out for when I’m back in SA later this year.
Definitely check out their FB page - they do walks all the time, all over JHB. The walks are free and i think they’re more fun than organized tours.
I really enjoyed this but I’m sad I didn’t recognize any of it.
Those walks sound like fun.
I love how you’re getting out and around!
It was great to have you with us on Saturday, Heather. I must say I felt safer here than on the Yeoville Photowalk. Most of the Hillbrow community were warm and welcoming whereas in Yeoville it was closed and cold.
That’s very interesting. I only went to Yeoville once and didn’t get a very good feel for things. I need to get back and do a comparison.
Thanks for the fun times on Saturday!
this is a really interesting post, thanks for sharing it. and what a cute baby!
Thanks so much and thanks for reading!
Ola from the States! Thank you so much for your post on Hillbrow! I have always been curious, and since 2006 I have been sneaking in and out of Hillbrow more and more. At first I did frenzied drive-by camera shootings, and later on I started walking the main strips more comfortably. What I like about your pictures is that it tells a story of a place that people live. Hillbrow is often painted with one brush. Everyone that lives there are gangsters and drug dealers, we are told. Obviously this is not true. And there is a big drive to regenerate the community, and because of this the crime rate is falling (but it is still quite high). Consider taking the BRT on one of your tours. It costs R5, and it provides a fascinating window on the city - and is great for taking pics!
Riding the bus would actually be a really cool blog post – great suggestion! Thanks for all the input too.
Very interesting. You have inspired me to branch out of my comfort zones and go exploring! Great blog on Hillbrow!
Fantastic post once again. I love photo walks for this precise reason, they open up parts and histories that might otherwise be forgotten or hidden or overlooked. And I’m sure it’s not all sugar and growth, but it’s nice to see some positive reflection on ’troubled’ neighbourhoods instead of the usual doom and gloom most people tend to write about.
Thanks so much. The photo walk was great – I’ll definitely be doing more of them.
Just found you and catching up :). I lived in Hillbrow and Yeoville 40 years ago when I studied at University. ‘Twas a whole different world then - we walked alone (‘girls) through those streets and met friends for coffee etc. Amazing how it’s all changed. I live in Pretoria now. I’m thrilled to see the renovations, but the ‘hi-jacking’ of buildings is still the hugest problem throughout our country. Enjoy your weekend.
Thanks so much for reading! This city has been through a heck of a lot of change over the last 40 years – extraordinary times. I love Pretoria too – hoping to do some blogging about it in the next few weeks.
Us girls used to walk (would you believe?) from Hunter Street in Bellevue to the city of Johannesburg to watch midnight movies at the 20th Century cinema. We’d then walk home again. Nothing and no one phased us. When leaving the movie theatre, we were met by street cleaners with these huge machines. The entire city centre of Johannesburg was washed clean every second Saturday of the month. It used to be jewel-like. :)
Thanks so much for reading and commenting! Jozi has changed a lot :)
It’s good to know that the streets of Hillbrow are starting to “come to life” again.
Indeed. It’s a very interesting place. I’m hoping to go back soon and explore more.
By the way, my work with the Alexandra Baseball Association has taken me into Alexandra many times, and I feel the same way about Alex as you do about Hillbrow. Yes it’s poor and yes it’s maybe not the safest place to go - I never feel quite at ease when there - but it has this vibrancy and life that you don’t see out in our suburbs. There is always something going on there that’s interesting. Just yesterday I saw a guy sitting in the middle of the sidewalk with an ancient sewing machine happily sewing away. I cursed myself for not bringing my camera…
I’d love to go to Alex with you sometime!
Great post Heather! Cool pics too and makes me jealous I wasn’t on the photowalk!
It was a really great walk – the perfect one to start with.
I used to study at Wits, and would periodically find myself driving (never dawdling) through Hillbrow to jump onto Louis Botha and out to where I used to live in Orange Grove. It’s been a good 13 years since then - and until now - not somewhere I would consider revisiting! It’s good to see that there have been some improvements.
Yep, times have changed. Although you still shouldn’t just cruise into Hillbrow on your own. It’s a fascinating place though. Thanks for reading!
Great post, and great shots. This, and other parts of your blog, inspire me to get out more and explore Gauteng. Before my wife and I moved to Pretoria in July, we read a book called “Welcome to Our Hillbrow”, which paints a more dire picture of the neighborhood. So, thanks for documenting the hopefulness.
Thanks Ryan, and thanks for reading and commenting. Hillbrow is an amazing place. It’s nothing like the “old” Hillbrow that many white South Africans still remember. But those of us who weren’t here in the old days only know it for what it is now, and see it through very different eyes. I think that’s one of the things that I find so interesting about it.
I am pleased to see some positive blogging about Hilbrow & the rest of the Joburg CBD. Far to often only the bad is remembered and the positive’s overlooked. I enjoyed the read.
Thanks very much. I think Hillbrow is a fascinating place. Glad you enjoyed the post.
i was in that place but let hope that i was luck because i didn’t get any problem at all but crime is there for sho.
Nigerians selling drugs at night to the kids under 15yrs which is very bad for the new generation .plz stop it we are all Africans we are brothers and sisters one for all all 4 one
Here’s how building hijacking works. A large block has been abandoned by the owner for a long time due to lack of tenants or dilapidation, a local mafia gang breaks in and takes possession , partitioning and subletting rooms therein. Soon the owner comes along and after negotiations a temporary compromise of shared rents or phased evacuation is reached with the mafia. Meanwhile sanitary and environmental conditions deteriorate at the building and the municipal authority brings notices of contraventions which the mafia deliberately keep away from the owner, eventually a notice of seizure of confiscation is given.. The mafia then files for and is granted temporary legal custody , without the owners knowledge.When the owner finds out, he then goes to court to enforce his ownership, the legal proceedings might take a few years, in which time the mafia is in ’legal occupation’ and collecting rent from many tenants. When or before the case is decided , the mafia is glad to move out with their proceeds..to hijack yet another building.
Thanks for the comment. Incidentally there is a somewhat-positive BBC story out today about building highjacking in Jozi. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-19714470
Hi there, was reading your various posts about Hillbrow, Thought might like to hear my memories 1986-1988, Click on the link and have a lsten http://uk.myspace.com/268636000 If anyone can expand on what i have missed feel free to comment Thank you
I’m planning to do a walk, into Hillbrow with a cross. I’m motive is just to pray for people and offer them hope in Jesus.
Sydney Francis. Sfpowernow@ gmail.com 0842770982
A once lovely neighborhood in a First World city, it is now a dirty and chaotic and dangerous no-go zone. Do not go into this neighborhood without being in a group. Do not go into this neighborhood without taking precautions. Do not let other individuals’ curiosities entice you into dangerous adventures.
I go right to the centre of Hillbrow three times a week for boxing training. I’ve been doing so every week for the past three years and never encountered a single problem. Just saying.
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