On May 18, 2008 Johannesburg was up in flames. For more than a week the fires had ben burning all around the city, starting in Alexandra where locals targeted a group of foreigners.
By Sunday morning the wave of xenophobic violence that would eventually sweep like a runaway fire throughout the entire country would engulf much of Joburg. Myself and photographer Shayne Robinson were sent to Ramaphosa, a township on the East Rand where a number of shacks belonging to foreigners had already been razed.
A mob 100 meters down from the main entrance into the township had gathered at the traffic circle, armed with pangas, knobkierries and even an umbrella, taunting the large and heavily armed police contingent up the road. When police eventually moved in on the mob, with us handful of journos using the cover of their armoured vehicles, it would prove extremely dangerous with some inexperienced and visibly shaken police firing wildly at the rubble raining down on them and the haze of teargas adding to the confusion.
After the short skirmish we lingered halfway between police and the quickly reformed mob. With those taking advantage of the lull in fighting came the word- they were killing the Shangaans.
Without waiting for police we raced towards the mob. By the time we got to their gathering point they had dispersed. But not without leaving a chilling example of their handywork. A burning man.
