Afrikaaner youth in Orania
Orania, 2026 - Assignment for AFP
Orania was established in 1991, following the repeal of South Africa's apartheid-era segregation laws. The town operates under a clause in the country's constitution that guarantees communities the right to self-determination.
The land was purchased by a group of Afrikaner families led by Carel Boshoff, son-in-law of former prime minister Hendrik Verwoerd. Verwoerd is widely regarded as the principal architect of apartheid policy. Orania was established with the goal of preserving Afrikaner culture the heritage of descendants from Dutch and French Huguenot settlers who arrived in South Africa in the 17th century.
Residency is not automatic: prospective members must submit an application and pass through a vetting process, in which Afrikaner identity is generally treated as a core requirement for acceptance.
The town also attracts young Afrikaners from other parts of South Africa who come to study at Bo-Karoo Opleiding, a local training institute. Programs there cover practical fields including agricultural management, plumbing, electrical work, home care, and early childhood development.
Religion and safety are described by residents as central to daily life in Orania. Many characterize the town as built around Christian values, cultural preservation, and a strong sense of community, with churches and faith-based education playing a prominent role.
Gusheshe
Johannesburg, 2026
In post-apartheid Johannesburg, car spinning, known locally as gusheshe, has grown from a township pastime into one of South Africa’s most striking homegrown motorsports. The practice began in the 1980s within Soweto’s vibrant gangster scene, where stolen cars were spun at funerals as acts of
tribute. By the early 1990s, as the country teetered on the brink of racial conflict, young Sowetans began experimenting with spinning outside criminal circles. Their focus was the BMW 325i, known as the box shape or gusheshe, and a drive to excel that laid the foundations for a culture now recognized
across the nation. Today, organized events stage drivers performing high-rev spins and choreographed stunts in open arenas.
Cars spew clouds of smoke and thunderous backfires as drivers and passengers execute daring maneuvers, including riding on doors or climbing onto roofs, demonstrating both skill and mechanical ingenuity. The BMW gusheshe has become a cultural icon, modified to meet the demands of complex routines, where losing tires or bumpers is part of the spectacle.
Beyond adrenaline, gusheshe functions as a language of identity and aspiration. From its informal township roots to its emergence as a structured motorsport, it reflects discipline, creativity, and community transforming Johannesburg’s urban landscape into a stage for resilience, performance, and pride.
Urban crisis in the city of Gold
Johannesburg, 2025
In the center of Johannesburg, hijacked buildings are a common sight. Residential areas that once housed office workers are now controlled by informal and criminal networks, without contrats, maintenance, or safety guarantees. The Zambesi Building is a striking example of this phenomenon: inside, hundreds of people live in overcrowded conditions, with serious safety violations and structural deterioration that increase the risk of fires or collapses.
The crisis intensified in December 2025 with the murder of Warrick “DJ Warras” Stock, who was overseeing the installation of security systems inside the Zambesi. After his death, authorities raided the building, inspecting dozens of apartments and questioning several residents as part of the investigation.
During the operation, occupants who had long failed to pay rent were identified, and statements were collected from people considered relevant to clarifying the crime. The case highlights the serious risks associated with squatted buildings, marked by a lack of safety, basic services, and regulation, as well as the complexity of intervening in them without providing housing alternatives.
The official strategy, based on police operations, audits, and administrative controls, has reignited a crucial debate: how to restore order and urban security without criminalizing poverty or displacing vulnerable populations. Johannesburg thus emerges as an example of a broader urban crisis affecting many cities, where the right to the city and to safety remain unresolved challenges.