Obs resident’s local encounters

Barbara Langridge

Humanity is connected by the desire to feel secure behind a door. Our doors reflect our culture, wealth, expression and need.

When I moved to Observatory a constant stream of visitors appeared at my front door. These encounters got me thinking about the significance of a door.

My reality in documenting the lives of those outside my door was deeply connected to the same searching as those on the outside.

As I got to know the "regulars" I became curious to find out how their lives had reached this point at my door.

Mhako Wilberforce Sojola, born in the Eastern Cape, came to my door to sell litho printed black and white cards.

He attended art lessons about 20 years ago. He is diagnosed mentally ill but through medication manages to function as an artist and fends for himself.

He had been on a number of community art projects and had received quite a lot of support to keep him productive and encouraged. His main challenge is access to stable income through sales of cards and art.

18 year old Tarique Arendse was attending school doing his matric and was selling handmade ashtrays made out of cooldrink tins. I ordered one but he never did return with either my R50 or my ashtray.

He seemed at the fork in the road between choosing education or a life of crime and drugs.

What struck me was the darkness and sadness in his eyes.

Warren was born in 1985 and had been hustling on the street since he was 14.

Carers fostered him as his parents could not afford to give him a home. Drugs had become a dominant feature of is life. He was in poor health but very intelligent, despite being uneducated.

He had lost contact with all family and did not know where they were or whether they were alive.

Warren was recently the subject of a portrait done by acclaimed Cape Town artist Daniel Clarke. He taught me poverty is not defined by financial status, but by spiritual emptiness.

Of all the people I have encountered, only those that had support in the early stages of them being vulnerable to street life were able to rehabilitate and have a semi functional life.

I realised how ill equipped I was to deal with these people but what I could offer was acknowledgement of their existence.

We're all just a few steps away from being homeless in this changing world. It could be me.