afropunk joburg: politics of style

Photos by Tatenda Chidora for AFROPUNK.

Your style is an amplification of your voice. We asked our fellow South African punks to tell us why they adorn their temples the way they do.

Tatenda Chidora

Kopano Selebano IG: @kopano17

“I’m a rebel. Dark. Punk. Rock. Hard. Where I come from, people are really conservative and they don’t dress how they really feel so for me it’s about being free-spirited, young and revolutionary. For instance, my hair is a really big part of my identity. I’ve been growing it for like 11 years now. I want my hair to do what it does and I’m tired of this notion that my hair is not ‘professional’ or ‘unruly.’ Forget that. I’mma do me.”

Tatenda Chidora

Lelethu Tlou IG: @wificrystal

“The thing that influences my style is Black empowerment and embracing being Black and being proud of who you are. When I wear my doek (headwrap), it shows that I’m proud of being Black and I’m confident in my skin.”

Tatenda Chidora

Tatenda Chidora

Freddy Edicom IG: @freddy.edicom

“I wanted to be very lax but at the same time, embody the hood that I come from and show that culture. I also like showing my personality with my style because I don’t really like bright colors so I’m always wearing Black, white and neutrals. I’ll take something very hard in an outfit and use very subtle colors to embody it. I like to incorporate little subtleties like my jewelry and earrings. People will say ‘That’s for girls’ but I like to put people in an uncomfortable position as a means to educate. Why is it just for girls? What if I like it? Why shouldn’t I wear it?”

Tatenda Chidora

Sihle Lehabe IG: @sihlefrantz_

“A lot of my clothes are Black and white. I love Black and white. It’s as simple as it gets. It makes your skin stand out as well. It’s simple but it also stands out.”

Tatenda Chidora

Tatenda Chidora

Tatenda Chidora

Tatenda Chidora

Khabonina Masanabo IG: @shwiftty

“I wanted to express how a young Black woman living in South Africa would look like. The modern-day Africa child. I try to do that while remaining true to my culture, like having my hair out. My culture is my identity. I can’t separate myself from that — it’s who I am so I try my best to incorporate it into my every day with hair and clothes. Some of my friends will say ‘Khabo, you’re just going to the mall, relax’ and I’ll say ‘No, I have to represent my culture everywhere that I go. It’s who I am. I can’t separate it.”

Tatenda Chidora

Nhlanhla Dlamini

“Ancient future is my style. You need to mix voodoo with some technology. I’m definitely Avanta Garde. I’m a Kasi rockstar. I think outside the box. I also like to tell my niggas that they’re Gods. Niggas are Gods and AFROPUNK is the presentation.”

Tatenda Chidora

Romeo Didakwane IG: @Romeo.mosa

“I wanted to be comfortable. Silk shirt. Jeans. Easy. I come from a very conservative family where you have to color within the line so I try to color outside the line and dress how I feel. It can be like today where I’m laid back and other days, I’ll go bespoke or full grunge. Style is a feeling.