Why I did Diepsloot

May 13th, 2011

This is the text of my talk at the launch of Diepsloot:

After the momentous Polokwane conference, I wrote a column in Business Day asking why us journalists had got Zuma and the ANC so wrong. My conclusion was that we were focused on the edifices of power - parliament, Union Buildings and so on - and needed to examine the foundations.
There was a gap in our reporting, and our knowledge of what was happening on the grassroots, what was happening in the most volatile and difficult areas of our country, what was happening at a ward and ANC branch level. In the back of my mind, for some time, therefore, was an idea that I had to research and write something that sought to fill the gap.

Shortly before my sabbatical from the university last year, I had a conversation with Chris Vick, the adviser to the Minister of Human Settlements, who described to me the political egg he had to unscramble for the Minister’s high-profile visit here in 2009. As I listened to him talk, it dawned on my that Diepsloot was the place I needed to learn about, research, spend time in, and ultimately write about.

I spend many months here last year, day in and day out. I interviewed dozens, perhaps hundreds of people - politicians, traders, artists, headmasters, church leaders, NGO workers and activists. I ate and drank here. I went out on patrol with the CPF. I sat in on meetings. I even got thrashed at the pool table more often than I would like to admit. I visited the city, provincial and national government offices to find out what they were doing and not doing.

Every day I spent in Diepsloot I learnt a little more. I was constantly surprised by the place and the people. In the process, I learnt about this place, my country and myself. Many of my own assumptions were challenged, many of my own simplistic views were overturned, many of my stereotypes were challenged. In my book, I try and take the reader by the hand and take them on this journey with me, observing, probing, questioning, and slowly understanding more and more.

Diepsloot has, you might say, a reputational problem. It is viewed out there as a place of violence, poverty, crime, mob justice, fear and loathing. But of course as I learnt more about it, and got to know the place and its people, I naturally found a place much more complex, much more differentiated, I found many people passionate about the place and about living here. I found many people making their own solutions to the problems they faced. I found that there were no easy way to understand the place, and no easy conclusions to be drawn. I became fascinated, and I hope that in the book I can convey some of this to you, the reader.

My book is in essence an appeal to people to know more about this place and cut through the assumptions and stereotypes. In fact, if you want to understand this country and where it is headed, you need to understand places such as this, and the hopes and aspirations of its peoples. My book is a cry to people to listen to the people of Diepsloot and I am certain you will be surprised by what you hear.

There were many people in Diepsloot who shared their love and passion for the place with me, and I owe each one of them a big thank you. I was welcomed and assisted and guided by many good people, who shared their knowledge and understanding with me. I cannot name them all - Phillip, Chris, John, Donald, Sam, Francinah, Lucas, .. and so many others. I hope I have done justice to your views.

Many people in the city - the mayor, town planners, officials in various departments - who gave me their time and information and I thank them too. Most are mentioned in the book and acknowledged there.

There were some who ducked and dived and would not talk to me. I can only say that I hope that I have also done justice to you.

I owe a major thanks to the publishers, Jonathan Ball and his wonderful team - Jeremy, Francine, Frances, Anika - all of you - it was a pleasure to work with such dedicated professionals with such a passion for books.

A special thanks to the one and only Ivan Vladislavich, for his impeccable advice, and to Frances Perryer for helping me get the details right. Alon Skuy took amazing photographs, as always.
The university provides a wonderfully supportive and encouraging environment for a writer - and it would not have been possible without the support of the Dean and my colleagues in the journalism department.

Finally, there are those who were patient and supportive while I embarked on this programme, who let me take them away from school and work while I finished the book in England: Harriet and Georgia, in particular. Harriet is my first reader and best critic, and is there for me, whatever crazy new venture I embark on. And a special mention to my mother, who has joined us today, Zara, and my sister Stephanie, supportive as always.

I am a great believer that to be good, journalism has to be disruptive - it has to challenge you, shake you up, make you think again, question your assumptions. It has to disrupt your emotions and it has to disrupt your train of thought. I hope that through this book, I can make people take a fresh look at Diepsloot, and other places like it, and to get a more complex and nuanced view of what goes on here. If I achieve that for just a few readers, I will be happy.

*Pics of the launch here.

Entry Filed under: Anton Harber, Journalism