Simon Fidelis Luyenga

Photographer/UPPA

www.simonfidelis.com

Transition

Follow Hire

Location: Southern Highlands

Nationality: Tanzania

Biography: Simon Fidelis Luyenga is a Tanzanian born independent photojournalist and documentary photographer; his work has been featured in publications including Suddeutsche Zeitung, Mail & Guardian, Die Zeit, Rinse and exhibited in Galleries. In 2018... MORE

A young boy plays in the frame ...e here on the people."

A young boy plays in the frame of broken television set at Pretoria street in Hillbrow on Sept 15, 2015. Pretoria street is one of the most famous street in Hillbrow with many businesses both formal and informal. Hillbrow is an inner city residential neighbourhood of Johannesburg known for its high level of populationdensity, unemployment, poverty, prostitution and crime. This project "Transition" looks at the short and long-term changes that have occured and continue to occur in the area, and the effect of life here on the people."

TRANSITION

In this project my intention is to explore the essence of daily life in Pretoria Street, Hillbrow, looking at social economic issues.
The idea is to look at social economic issues and how certain conversion have been made in the midst of Hillbrow, with people coming from different geographical location to settle and work there. I also argue to describe Hillbrow as a community rather than a geographical location, because majority of the people who are living there are not settled for generation as such.
This work is intended as great contribution to a larger discussion, for social economy, energy, diversity, creative expression and belonging, with the intention of pinpointing the specifics of the place as well as the personalities involved.

A building with a bricks fault ...e here on the people."

A building with a bricks fault lines on corner Bankent and Varndermerwe street in Hillbrow in Johannesburg, Soputh Africa, Sept 06, 2016. This building was once known as Bell Mount Hotel now the balcony has bee reconstructed on top of a old structure as neighbourhood undergoing through transition and need of cheap accommodation. Hillbrow is an inner city residential neighbourhood of Johannesburg known for its high level of populationdensity, unemployment, poverty, prostitution and crime. This project "Transition" looks at the short and long-term changes that have occured and continue to occur in the area, and the effect of life here on the people."

A man holding a take away cup l...e here on the people."

A man holding a take away cup looking down at the street from a broken window in one of the building in Hillbrow in Johannesburg, South Africa, March 21, 2016. The broken window and a texture on the wall are typical of level of housing and daily life here, Hillbrow is an inner city residential neighbourhood of Johannesburg known for its high level of populationdensity, unemployment, poverty, prostitution and crime. This project "Transition" looks at the short and long-term changes that have occured and continue to occur in the area, and the effect of life here on the people."

a shadow walks through the smok...e here on the people."

a shadow walks through the smoke at Constitutional Hill in Hillbrow, Johannesburg, South Africa, july 06, 2016. The smoke comes from the Old Fort situated underground at the Constitution Hill which was once a prison. Hillbrow is an inner city residential neighbourhood of Johannesburg known for its high level of populationdensity, unemployment, poverty, prostitution and crime. This project "Transition" looks at the short and long-term changes that have occured and continue to occur in the area, and the effect of life here on the people."

a man in the street has both hi...e here on the people."

a man in the street has both his arms bandaged, Hillbrow, Johannesburg, South Africa, march 28, 2016. Hillbrow is an inner city residential neighbourhood of Johannesburg known for its high level of populationdensity, unemployment, poverty, prostitution and crime. This project "Transition" looks at the short and long-term changes that have occured and continue to occur in the area, and the effect of life here on the people."

A highrise building known as Hi...e here on the people."

A highrise building known as Highpoint on Pretoria Street in Hillbrow has clothes hanging through the window and a small shopping center at its base which houses bank services, Johannesburg, South Africa, April 10, 2016. Hillbrow is an inner city residential neighbourhood of Johannesburg known for its high level of populationdensity, unemployment, poverty, prostitution and crime. This project "Transition" looks at the short and long-term changes that have occured and continue to occur in the area, and the effect of life here on the people."

A young girtl walks in the dark...e here on the people."

A young girtl walks in the dark corridor of a building that is officially designated as abandoned, in Hillbrow, Johannesburg, South Africa, July 19, 2015. Hillbrow is an inner city residential neighbourhood of Johannesburg known for its high level of populationdensity, unemployment, poverty, prostitution and crime. This project "Transition" looks at the short and long-term changes that have occured and continue to occur in the area, and the effect of life here on the people."

A man walks pass a wall mural p...e here on the people."

A man walks pass a wall mural painting of a woman with cocktail glass in Hillbrow, Johannesburg, South Africa, July 11, 2016. The mural shows the old life that used to be Hillbrow with intertainment and bars before it experienced a heavy decline. Now there dense groups of difgferent kinds of people who occupy its different layers. Hillbrow is an inner city residential neighbourhood of Johannesburg known for its high level of populationdensity, unemployment, poverty, prostitution and crime. This project "Transition" looks at the short and long-term changes that have occured and continue to occur in the area, and the effect of life here on the people." Hillbrow is an inner city residential neighbourhood of Johannesburg known for its high level of populationdensity, unemployment, poverty, prostitution and crime. This project "Transition" looks at the short and long-term changes that have occured and continue to occur in the area, and the effect of life here on the people."

A doorway in Hillbrow building ...e here on the people."

A doorway in Hillbrow building with writing telling what's on each floor, April 10, 2016. Two different churches and creche facility, each being used fully despite the lack of maintanance and the walls in need of paint, gives an insight into the lack of funds and the type of people that now live in Hillbrow. Hillbrow is an inner city residential neighbourhood of Johannesburg known for its high level of populationdensity, unemployment, poverty, prostitution and crime. This project "Transition" looks at the short and long-term changes that have occured and continue to occur in the area, and the effect of life here on the people."

A couple sitting on the bed ins...e here on the people."

A couple sitting on the bed inside their small one-room apartment in one of Hillbrow's officially abandoned buildings, Johannesburg, South Africa, Nov 07, 2016. The apartment has no running water, electricity or toilet the building is occupied by most young people who has no proper employment. Like many officially abandoned buildings this one has all its room occupied, and rent taken illegally by an enforcer. Hillbrow is an inner city residential neighbourhood of Johannesburg known for its high level of populationdensity, unemployment, poverty, prostitution and crime. This project "Transition" looks at the short and long-term changes that have occured and continue to occur in the area, and the effect of life here on the people."

A other and Daughter sit for a ...e here on the people."

A other and Daughter sit for a portrait inside their sitting room of their apartment in Hillbrow, Johannesburg, South Africa, June 30, 2016. The women are part of the family of a nigerian man known as 'Papa Ejima' who has now lived in Hillbrow for more than 19years. The family continue to survive by working as a fruit traders. Hillbrow is an inner city residential neighbourhood of Johannesburg known for its high level of populationdensity, unemployment, poverty, prostitution and crime. This project "Transition" looks at the short and long-term changes that have occured and continue to occur in the area, and the effect of life here on the people."

A room scattered with clothes, ...e here on the people."

A room scattered with clothes, buckets, blanket and couches in Hillbrow, Johannesburg, South Africa, Nov 11, 2016. Sight like this are common in Hillbrow where the living standard are low and a diversity of communities live very closely together, Hillbrow is an inner city residential neighbourhood of Johannesburg known for its high level of populationdensity, unemployment, poverty, prostitution and crime. This project "Transition" looks at the short and long-term changes that have occured and continue to occur in the area, and the effect of life here on the people."

A hillbrow resident wearing a p...e here on the people."

A hillbrow resident wearing a pirate hat passes a high wall with a rather wire on Banket Street in Hillbrow, Johannesburg, South Africa, july 02, 2016.Hillbrow is an inner city residential neighbourhood of Johannesburg known for its high level of populationdensity, unemployment, poverty, prostitution and crime. This project "Transition" looks at the short and long-term changes that have occured and continue to occur in the area, and the effect of life here on the people."

A group of men and women hang o...e here on the people."

A group of men and women hang out inside an apartment room waiting for traditional home brew beer to arrive in Hillbrow, Johannesburg, South Africa, Nov 07, 2016. Home brew beer is illegal to make and drink in public in South Africa but here in Hillbrow, an inner city residential neighbourhood of Johannesburg known for its high level of population density, unemployment, poverty, prostitution and crime. This project "Transition" looks at the short and long-term changes that have occurred and continue to occur in the area, and the effect of life here on the people."

A young boy looks over a pool t...e here on the people."

A young boy looks over a pool table surrounded by men at game shop in Hillbrow, Johannesburg, South Africa, July 10, 2016. With the longterm decay of the area game shops are popular gives the lack of entertainmenty and investiment in Hillbrow, here are men and children mixed together to play at pool table and slots machines. Hillbrow is an inner city residential neighbourhood of Johannesburg known for its high level of populationdensity, unemployment, poverty, prostitution and crime. This project "Transition" looks at the short and long-term changes that have occured and continue to occur in the area, and the effect of life here on the people."

A man stands against the roofto...e here on the people."

A man stands against the rooftop wall watching as his son runs around the building. Behind is a Ponte City, a skyscraper in the Berea neighbourhood of Johannesburg, South Africa, just next to Hillbrow, Apr 10, 2016. Playing ground are becoming smaller and security threat is becoming weak, some families allow their children to play in a balcony or top roof. Hillbrow is an inner city residential neighbourhood of Johannesburg known for its high level of populationdensity, unemployment, poverty, prostitution and crime. This project "Transition" looks at the short and long-term changes that have occured and continue to occur in the area, and the effect of life here on the people."

A suitcase, someones personal b...e here on the people."

A suitcase, someones personal belongings, left unattended in the street of Hillbrow, a symbol of the transiet nature of the communities that lives here, Sept 28 2016. Hillbrow is an inner city residential neighbourhood of Johannesburg known for its high level of populationdensity, unemployment, poverty, prostitution and crime. This project "Transition" looks at the short and long-term changes that have occured and continue to occur in the area, and the effect of life here on the people."