Verbal.

The National, in Abu Dhabi, commissioned me to take images of the forthcoming closure of Durban’s historic Asian market in the Warwick Triangle. It was run today on page 17 of the paper, so those in the UAE can have a look, for those unable, here is the electronic version and the online version.

The market itself is home to a large community of market sellers, and caters for people who cannot afford supermarket prices. The fact they are trying to build a plush shopping mall in its place is absurd. Durban already has loads of them in a short distance from each other.

Around 400 000 people pass through the triangle on a daily basis, which makes this a lucrative zone for any commercial enterprises. The ANC pledged to defend the interests of the poor, but in this case it looks like another ANC policy that has been slightly shifted to defend the interests of business and revenue streams. The interesting thing was the re-introduction of a scheme whereby traders had to prove their identity to officials. The only other time this was the case was during the Apartheid years, when black people had to have a “pass” and state their business.

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