Jeppestown Neighbourhood Immersion

A Week In The Life Of The Jeppestown Neighbourhood

Members of the MTech Unit 2 course were given a five day task to document the people and spaces that make up Jeppestown and present our findings on the final day to the group as well as special guests who live and work in the area.

INTERVIEWS AND INFORMAL DISCUSSIONS

Upon having general discussions with the residents and stakeholders in Jeppestown, the main question I raised with them was: “What, do you feel, is lacking in Jeppestown?”

The general consensus was that there is a lack of safety within the area:

Young schoolboy living in Jeppestown: "It is not safe for us to walk around at night."

                                                                 "I feel threatened on the streets where it is quiet."

                                                                 "We would rather play in other areas during weekends than                                                                              in Jeppestown."

Student studying in Jeppestown: "You'd get 'jacked' in those kind of (quiet) streets."

Young man working in Jeppestown: "If you want to be safe, stay away from the quiet streets. It is a big                                                                    problem here (safety)."

                                                           "I'd think twice if my kids would come around and play here. It                                                                          would be a bit of a problem."

                                                           "After work hours it (the park) becomes sceptical. You'd think                                                                            twice if you want to go 'chill' that side."

Some individuals shared stories of the types of violent acts that occurred within the area:

Man working in Jeppestown: "You can find blood coming in (into Jeppestown), especially on Mondays."

                                                "This other guy told me that people are shooting each other, killing each                                                         other."

Teenage schoolboy living in Jeppestown: "There was a boy on his last day (of school) he was stabbed                                                                              on the bus and he died in the park."

Mother living in Jeppestown: "The big problem is the GP Hostel. There's too many guys there. They are                                                      so rough. They can even hold you roughly, sometimes even bite you.                                                            They are not good for the community."

                                                "You are not safe walking around, especially on weekends because they are                                                   drunk."

                                                "They drink and they do house break-ins. Every night you hear gunshots."

PUBLIC INSTALLATION AND DOCUMENTATION

I documented my findings by placing four poster sized images with writing of an event that happened in Jeppestown. These were put up on a wall opposite the park and I observed the way people responded to the installation. Some people walked straight past the pieces; some stopped to take a look but didn’t share any stories with me due to them being fearful of the consequences while others read the posters and told me about other aggressive events that occurred in and around the park as well as in and around the GP hostel down the road.

THE FINAL HOURS

The way I presented my findings were in the form of an art installation and a short film. The art installation documented the people's response to my public installation while the film documented what I experienced in the area in the form of visual and audio clips.

Tow rope representing individuals who disregarded the installation.

Paint drum wrapped with barbed wire and tin can string "telephone" with string cut representing individuals acknowledging the installation but didn't share any stories due to fear.

Paint drum with tin can string "telephone" with string intact representing individuals acknowledging the installation but and who shared their stories.

Final presentation.

The short film that was presented to the group and special guests.

WRAPPING UP

I noticed that the residents and stakeholders reacted the same way to the installation as they did with the actual violence within the area. From my findings the lack of safety within the area doesn’t necessarily need to be amended by introducing more forms of security but rather to create more public spaces in areas where they are absent in order to link the various forms of trade together that are present in Jeppestown as well as to aid in the unification of the community that resides there, thus forming a safer environment for its residents and stakeholders.