IN PICS | Meanwhile, outside the corridors of power ...
The arrest of Zandile Christmas Mafe for alleged arson following the near-destruction of parliament has again thrown a spotlight on the plight of the thousands of homeless people in the Mother City. Photographer Esa Alexander and writer Claire Keeton spoke to some folks at street level
13 February 2022 - 00:00
“How old do you think I am?” asks Abdul Smith, tilting his head. Sharp cheekbones stand out in a face framed by a trimmed beard and hair flecked with silver. I guess late 40s. In reply, Smith proudly reveals he is 61, reciting his ID number as proof. He has an ID, unlike many people who live on the streets.
The lines on Smith’s face do not show that he has been living rough for nearly 20 years in Cape Town, more than half of them with his girlfriend Rene Williams. When I ask Williams about their relationship, he jumps in before she can answer. Checking his gaunt face in a shard of mirror, he says: “She likes me for my complexion and I look like a bodybuilder.”..
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