People of Parow, Voortrekker Road
Capturing the lives of a cross-section of people of Voortrekker Road in Parow, South Africa.
"But that’s how it goes... some days you steal, other days you get robbed. It’s part of the game."
I Call Myself Spiderman
"I’m always in Voortrekker. You won’t find me anywhere else. Hier ruk die ding (this is where it’s happening). You feel like a child on a sugar rush. You should come to Voortrekker Road at night, then you will really see what is going on. That is when we operate. Yes, we sell tik, mandrax and marijuana. That is the drugs that I do. At night you need protection. My protection is a steel padlock that I tie to this rope.
Sometimes I feel in danger, other times I own the street. But that’s how it goes; some days you steal, other days you get robbed. It’s part of the game. That’s why I use drugs. I have to do tik to stay aware at night. You have to do it to stay alive.
But tik is dangerous. It changes people. And one day you will die from it. That is why you always get someone to tik with you, so that you don’t die alone. There are gates to go in but no gates to go out. You either go to the sandkomberse (grave) or you go to prison.
We don’t just live for ourselves but for others as well. We look out for each other. If we see someone who lives like we do, we’ll look out for them.
There’s a reason why we live on the street. It’s the things at home that force us to this street. I have my problems, we all have our problems, you understand. And you don’t have to know about my problems. Voortrekker isn’t just a street to us. It’s a home as well. It’s my everything. But how we live on the street… you can’t call this living.
I rob houses in Plattekloof if I don’t sell enough. I call myself Spiderman because I can climb up walls. I’m like everybody else, just trying to get by. And I know it’s wrong, I feel bad. Every time I go to Plattekloof to rob, I say a prayer to the Father and ask for his forgiveness.
It’s not easy. I have been on the streets since I was 9 years old. So that was how I grew up, in a street gang. When I was 13, I was involved in a murder and went to prison for 8 years.
In prison I became a 28. It’s a prison gang, not a gang. The difference is respect. Inside you have to choose a side. We cut open our writs and press it against the other member’s wrist. We are blood brothers. Each gang has passwords that only their own members know. This password gives you entrance to the gang’s area. When you enter the area you have to list the gang activities you were involved in. This will protect you and determine your rank inside the prison. It’s just like the bible. The gangs become like a religion. A 28 doesn’t share a blanket with another number, you know what I mean.
I got out of prison a year ago, I am now 22. What hope is there for me? People look at my prison tattoos and my knife wounds and they don’t want to give me a job. I have to get by just like everybody else. But I want to be free. And I believe that the day that everybody respects you and not judge you, that is when you are free.”
"Out here there are things happening all the time. It makes me feel like I’m alive.”
I Am Not a Tramp
“I live in a house 2 blocks from Voortrekker Road. I walk to Voortrekker Road every day. Long ago Voortreker Road and Parow was a very good area. The people were friendly.
Now, people don’t greet you anymore, it’s like they stopped caring. They laugh at me and call me a tramp, but I am really not a tramp. When I walk pass, they would say “There goes the tramp with the hunchback.” They tell me to just go home. But I enjoy being here.
There are still some people here that know me, I don’t feel completely alone. At my house it's so quiet. There is no one to talk to. I just stare at the wall. Out here there are things happening all the time. It makes me feel like I’m alive.”
“We always say here at Parow Police Station: Crime is our business and business is booming."
I Don’t Want To Live Anywhere Else
“We always say here at Parow Police Station: Crime is our business and business is booming.
I’ve worked at Parow Police Station since 1986. Working in the Social Crime Prevention Unit, I have experienced the increase in crime in this area. There are several other reasons why Voortrekker Road has declined.
The unification of all the smaller municipalities into the mega local government of Cape Town in the 1990’s took the focus away from local problems. Prior to this, the streets were clean and well maintained. The priorities of people of Parow were not important to the people of Cape Town.
The development of big, safe shopping centers resulted in businesses moving away from Voortrekker Road. Buildings became more dilapidated as big businesses moved out, and the smaller ones replacing them did not have the budget to spend on maintaining the building or road.
Prostitution is a major problem in Voortrekker Road. Since 1986 it has increased more or less with 500%. The drug dealers act also as pimps. They supply to the prostitutes and the public. The drug dealers and the prostitutes rob their clients, which also contribute to the increase in crime. Lately there are many foreigners from Nigeria or Angola in this area. Many of these foreigners marry South Africans to get citizenship. Because of the differences in cultures, there are many incidents of domestic violence reported to the police. Alcohol abuse only adds to these problems.
My dream for Voortrekker Road is that the people must be able to walk down the street during the day without having to look over their shoulder. If we can uplift the people, we can uplift the road and it will be better for us all.
I think Parow is a great place. I grew up here and I don’t want to live anywhere else. If you compare it to other places in the world, I think Parow is the best places to live.”
"No man, please. Horrible things happen in children’s homes. I wouldn’t wish it on anyone."
How Can I Say No
“From about 2005 is when the things started to happen in this road; when the immigrants from central Africa started to move into my building. My shop is on the ground floor and overlooks Voortrekker Road. I sit and read outside my shop everyday, so I know exactly what is going on. The immigrants are all drug dealers. They sell tik and ‘rocks’ to the prostitutes and their clients. They also act as pimps to the prostitutes and the prostitutes would bring their clients to the rooms in this building. This place was a mess. People were too scared to walk past this building. It was terrible. The landlady eventually made interdicts against them. She had to pay R10 000 per room. But they are still here, just in different buildings.
So all the prostitutes know me as the auntie from the piercing shop, they know I have a soft heart.
About three years ago I saw the one prostitute, Celeste, was pregnant. I told her that she must show me the little one when he’s born. So she brought the baby to my shop one day and I made such a fuss about this cute little thing, 3 weeks old. When Celeste saw that I was so taken up by her baby she asked me if I can babysit him for a weekend while she works in the road. As I said, I have a big heart so I obviously said yes. She gave me the baby’s bag and left. In the bag were a few diapers, a baby bottle and the baby’s clinic card. Obviously this was strange to me. Celeste disappeared for 2 weeks. She eventually came back and told me about her problems, but that she has peace of mind because she knows her baby is safe. She asked me to look after the baby just a little longer, then she disappeared completely. But I knew in the 2 weeks when Celeste didn’t return that I would take care of the baby. Because where will this baby end up?
No, no, no, I was in a children’s home and I wouldn’t wish it on anyone. I was put in Marsh Memorial Home in Rondebosch as a little girl after my parents divorced. No man, please, horrible things happen in children’s homes. Reverent Meyring at Marsh Memorial was molesting us little girls for years. It was on the TV a few years ago because they only found it out then. Scary things happen in children’s homes.
6 months later the second prostitute approached me with another baby. I first said no, but how can you say no when you know that baby has nothing. I can see that the prostitutes don’t know what they are doing with them. I just don’t know how to say no, I really don’t. A month later a third prostitute approached me while she was still pregnant. She is HIV positive and actually told me that if I can’t take it she will have to dump it somewhere. I discussed this with my family, and we decided to keep her. One year later I took my forth baby and just the other day I took my fifth baby.
And I really feel like I’m saving them.
I told the welfare about my situation and filled in forms to apply for foster care. That was more than 2 years ago. I still haven’t received any help from them. They say they are too busy with other cases. But I’m not worried about the money, you understand, that was not my purpose for taking them.
I always say, God put me on this path. He wants me to take care of these babies and he makes sure that we always have just enough. I actually believe that. There are so many people who could be making a difference in this world. I’m a poor woman, understand. I don’t see rich people taking a child. It makes me so sad.
Anyway, the prostitutes are a big problem in Voortrekker Road. And the police are in on the deal. They are supposed to lock them up but instead they make money from them by taking a payoff. It’s terrible. But the prostitutes don’t want to be helped, they earn a lot of money and they are on drugs the whole time.
You get people in Voortrekker Road that say, I drink or use drugs because of my worries, oh please. Then I probably would have been drunk every minute of the day. To me that is not an excuse.”
"Voortrekker Road has more drama than a soap opera. You just find yourself a nice spot, you sit, and you watch.”
All The People In Parow Know Me
“My parents came from England to work in South Africa. We loved it so much here that we never went back. I am the oldest of my siblings. Every family must have a black sheep – now that would be me.
I don’t like to settle, to just stay at home and do nothing. I like to have a good time, see my friends. So I enjoy being on the road, it’s busy and bustling, all the people in Parow know me, I like it. The only problem in Voortrekker Road is the girls. Now you know what type of girls I’m talking about. They cause problems because they bring the drugs and crime.
I like the people from Parow, they always want to help you. If you ask, they will give. Unlike the people in England, they just care for themselves. And the people in Voortrekker road are alive, they are out in the street, making conversations and connecting with each other. In England they stay inside and keep to themselves.
But the people in Voortrekker Road don’t just want to chat, they also want to rob you. Just yesterday I was robbed. My whole hand is swollen from how they threw me to the ground. You see the people are looking for money. And when the time comes for Christmas, the people will just grab what they can.
But Voortrekker road is so entertaining. You don’t need the TV, you don’t need the radio or the newspaper, you just sit in this road and you will see everything. Voortrekker Road has more drama than a soap opera. You just find yourself a nice spot, you sit, and you watch.”
