Zama Zama, 2026
Photographic print on matt gloss
29,5 cm x 42 cm
Artist’s Statement
Zama Zama is a Zulu word that can be directly translated to “try and try again”. Today Zama Zama is an illegal mining scheme that South Africans and illegal immigrants who are desperate to make a living take part in. Captivated by what raw materials go for on the black-market, people are willing to risk their health and lives for a chance to make a life changing amount of money. My hometown of Sehlaku Burgersfort in Limpopo has had its struggles with illegal miners and unregulated scaring of mountains that has caused many deaths in the past.
This photograph is not a call to action but a reflection of myself. I relate heavily to the Zama Zama. The ability to operate in informal systems, rely on risk-taking, and create value from spaces/resources often ignored by formal structures. These are skills I myself have had to acquire in order to survive in this capitalist society. I used elements such as light, shadows and composition to create a visually captivating photograph of myself in miner’s attire.
