Big wave surfer Frank Solomon discovered an underground community of ‘surfers’ in a city you’d least expect – Johannesburg.
For anyone that has cruised Joburg’s streets, the sight of the city’s ‘street surfers’ is as much a part of the landscape as Egoli’s high-rise metropolitan skyline.
Image: Eyeforce Productions
Frank Solomon, a pro-surfer and marine activist from Cape Town, decided to meet two exceptional men, Thabo Mouti and Mokete Mokete, whose street surfing indirectly serves the environment, through their recycling for a pittance of an income.
In the short film, you careen down Jozi’s streets along with Mouti, Mokete and street-surfing novice Solomon, who nearly crashes into a minibus taxi in his trolley board with wheels – the street surfing board which the men whizz around on, giant collection bags billowing in front of them like hot air balloons.
In order to earn R300, the Mouti and Mokete need to collect 100 kilograms of recyclables in one day, explains Solomon. ‘I think very few people know that places like this exist,’ he says, bewildered when the guys take him back to where they live among the thousands of others who also camp in the recycling site surrounded by their heaps of sorted plastic.
This is the untold story of new friendships, shared experiences and common interest between individuals that are worlds apart.
Check out Street Surfers from Eyeforce Productions, directed by Arthur Neumeier:
Featured image: Eyeforce Productions
