Noordgesig in Focus: Listening, Learning, and Connecting Through Community Engagement
As part of the “Coloured” Community in Post-Apartheid Gauteng project, the GCRO research team spends time in different areas to meaningfully engage with and capture the essence of the communities we work with. A recent visit to Noordgesig offered exactly this kind of grounded, immersive experience.
Noordgesig, meaning ‘north facing’, is one of the oldest Coloured townships in the City of Johannesburg and is adjacent to the Soweto localities of Orlando East and Diepkloof. It is a relatively small area with a rich history and tradition of anti-apartheid struggle, sporting prowess and community cohesion on the one hand. On the other hand, it is confronted by significant poverty and poor living conditions in some parts.
During our visit, we had the privilege of being accompanied by Lavinia and Fabian Otto from La-Vi Projects, whose deep knowledge and connection to Noordgesig brought the area’s history to life. Through their guidance, we learned about the significance of place, memory, and identity. Including visits to homes marked by blue plaques honouring figures such as the former boxing champion Jake Tuli and a struggle veteran, the late Mama Vesta Smith.
What stood out most were the conversations with residents. We met Oom Joe, who spoke passionately about gardening, not just as a practice, but as a form of knowledge that must be sustained and passed on across generations.
(Oom Joe in green sweater, Lavinia and Fabian Otto in red t-shirts, with GCRO staff)
We also had the honour of meeting Mama Elizabeth, one of Noordgesig’s oldest residents, at 100 years old. Speaking with her was a powerful reminder of the living histories held within communities, histories that are not always captured in formal records but are vital to understanding the present.
Our engagements extended to the local three-wheeler drivers, who shared how their work provides both a source of income and an essential service. Their role in transporting elderly residents to clinics or shops, and in assisting schoolchildren, reflects the ways in which informal economies are embedded in systems of care and support.
Experiences like these underscore the importance of researchers stepping beyond the confines of offices and engaging directly with the communities we study. It challenges us to move away from speaking about communities from a distance, and instead to listen, learn, and co-produce knowledge with those who live these realities daily. Equally important is ensuring that our work does not become extractive. As researchers, we carry a responsibility to create feedback loops, sharing insights, outputs, and stories back with communities in ways that are accessible and meaningful.
Ultimately, visits like Noordgesig are not just fieldwork. They are reminders of the responsibility we hold to represent and remain accountable to the communities at the heart of our research.