Verbal.

In my continued effort to showcase the work being produced by fellow Africans, I was alerted to the work of Lebohang Mashiloane by Thato Mogotsi of The Times (thanks!). He’s spent a considerable amount of time looking at the some of the social issues being faced by those trying to find a new life in South Africa. The one that really made me notice was his work with a group of  blind people in Johannesburg, entitled ‘Living In the Dark‘

Lebohang took time out to answer a few questions about himself and his work.

Who is Lebohang Mashiloane?

I am a 28 year old photographer born in Bloemfontein, Free State but living and working in Johannesburg.

What is your photographic background?

I studied for Fine Art Photography Diploma at the Vaal University of Technology (formerly known as Vaal Technikon) from 1999-2001. I then received a bursary through YFM to study for Advanced Photojournalism and Documentary course at the Marketphoto Workshop, probably one of the most important photographic institutions in the country. Upon finishing I worked on a program with the Centre for Applied Legal Studies at Wits University documenting evictions in the Johannesburg inner city for six months in 2003, the work was published in their research journal.

I then moved to PictureNet Africa, for the remaining six months where I got introduced to the inner workings of a prominent photo agency.  In 2004 I got employed by The Star Daily Newspaper as a news photographer. I continued working on personal projects and in the same year my work on Johannesburg inner city was exhibited as part of a collective at Johannesburg Art Gallery, the exhibition was titled Joburg Circa Now and later resulted in a book by the same name.  In 2005 I participated in the now defunct Joburg Encounters for the exhibition and book. I was also selected for an exhibition titled WOMEN at the Market Theatre Gallery in the same year. In 2006 I was invited by the International Institute of Journalism in Berlin, Germany where I covered the 2006 FIFA SOCCER WORLD CUP for The Star newspaper. Later in the same year I covered the first democratic elections in the Democratic Republic of Congo. I was also part of photographers selected to produce a book focusing on 30 years after June 16 1976, titled YOUTH TO YOUTH.

In 2007 a section of my portfolio was published in CAMERA AUSTRIA, one of the leading photography magazines.  I resigned from The Star in the same year and moved to The Times newspaper where I ‘m still employed. In 2008 a project titled LIVING IN THE DARK, about a blind Zimbabwean community living in run down buildings in Joburg was Highly Commended at the Mondi Shanduka Awards in the Feature Photography category.  This year (2009) I have been selected to exhibit and be part of a book in the 8th edition of Bamako Encounters in Mali for a series I did on Somali nationalities during xenophobic outbreaks in South Africa.  The exhibition is due to tour different countries in Africa, Europe and the US.  The same series will also be exhibited at The Wedge Gallery in Toronto, Canada and will form part of the French Development Agency catalogue.

Tell us more about your ‘Living in the dark’ series.

I was intrigued firstly by the numbers, there’s a huge community of blind Zimbabweans seen at almost every traffic light on Joburg roads. Secondly the journey itself, it’s hard enough for someone who can see fleeing from Zimbabwe and the obstacles they face, crocodile infested revers, the SA army and a hostile reception awaiting them in SA. What more if you are blind?  I wanted to tap into their level of faith.

My approach was to photograph them in the environment they live in once they get to Joburg, not at the robots. I discovered tiny rooms in derelict buildings in Joburg that house up to 8 families per room.  During my research process I encountered a lot of theories like how some of them make themselves blind as it’s easier to get help, I would still like to explore these theories and also document the journey from Zim into SA traveling with them. It’s a project with many layers and it will probably take me years to do.

You’ve also spent a considerable amount of time looking at the effects of Xenophobic violence here in South Africa. In your opinion, has the media concentrated too much on the violence and not the story behind the violence?

I think that’s the nature of the media, the surface always gets scratched after the damage has already been done.  The problem becomes when violence is the ONLY story.  Amidst the chaos of what was happening there were still positive situations unfolding and these were largely ignored.  Interestingly when the violence ceased the level of interest from the media waned.  Understandably though because negativity sells,  we are still to arrive in a place where our media can have a positive influence. It’s a cut throat industry and targets have to be met.  I guess it’s only when one works independently that you can somehow dictate how the story is portrayed.

What’s been some of the difficulties you’ve experienced documenting the current situation surrounding refugees inside South Africa?

Trust has been a big issue.  I am South African and they felt betrayed by all South Africans so I had to earn their trust before I could get access.  There were instances where I was threatened with violence. I took interest in them as people with experiences to share and not victims, a man still has his pride even in that situation.  Eventually they opened up and understood what I was trying to do.  I still remain in touch with some of them.

The other thing that troubled me greatly was seeing how detached people in the affected communities were to what was going on. There were instances where police would be fetching dead bodies and a couple of feet away people would be playing cards as if nothing had happened.  A lot of South Africans still think of this country as separate from the rest of the continent and that’s a huge problem.  If they saw what these people are running away from it would go a long way in easing the hatred.  For all this country’s shortcomings we are very fortunate here.

Are you working on a project at the moment?

I am researching a project I will be doing in rural Free State next year on gay marriages there. I am also doing a photographic study on crime for a French publication Le Monde which I hope to finish in January next year.  I’ve teamed up with a couple of friends and we’ve set up a skills based NGO, which we fund ourselves where we travel to different neighbourhoods hoping to unearth future storytellers.

What are some of the challenges faced by photographers in Africa today?

One of them has to be that it’s so hard to work in some parts of the continent.  If it’s not the political dynamics, it’s bribing your way into a story, which I find hard to do.  Having said that though I think any difficult situation a photographer faces presents an opportunity, it makes your pictures more valuable that way and adds meaning. My experience in Mali has taught me that photography can only be as difficult/easy as you allow it to be.  Another  challenge is photographers not expanding on what they already know. We’ll never be able to tell the stories we want if we accept things for what they are and not probe further. We allow ourselves to be okay with what we know and that can kill one’s hunger, I’ve been there.  You have to constantly explore and reinvent yourself, source new forms of inspiration.

All images © Lebohang Mashiloane and used with kind permission.

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