Through My Lenz: The historical and cultural dynamics of Lenasia South, pre and present democracy

Abstract

Lenasia South was established as a designated “group area” for Indians under the apartheid government. The first residents moved into this newly established area, 35km away from Johannesburg, in the 1980s, after they were forcibly removed from their homes in other parts of Johannesburg. They developed Lenasia South through businesses, religious institutions and traditions. It became a place of belonging. This long-form journalism project is a journey of my life as I navigate the familiarity of living in Lenasia South and the realities outside of it. It blends memoir and research, and uses theoretical frameworks of identity, race and community to reflect how Lenasia South evolved as South Africa transitioned. It further examines how post-apartheid social and economic shifts, such as land grabs and rising crime, fragmented Lenasia South’s community. As I remembered it, my home was beginning to disappear. “Through My Lenz” is a tribute and a critical reflection of Indian identity and belonging in a changing South Africa.