Touching Concrete

In an overpopulated neighbourhood of Johannesburg, we drift with 16-year-old Tebogo and 15-year-old Karabo through their turf as a spectator for one summer. Their turf, that’s underground car parks, high rise roofs, nocturnal streets,where they dawdle away the time, somewhere between boredom and energy to burn.The conflicts with their single mothers, however, the violence and death in the streets are omnipresent. Karabo feels the pressure more and more while Tebogo sees it as a continuous supply of material for games. He lives by the “anyway” principle when he balances on the parapet of a high rise roof or dances into the path of moving cars with friends and defies everything with a provoking smile. The future looms over these kids’ presence. But they refuse to allow it to rule them. At least not yet.