THE UNSUNG HEROES MAKING (CITY) WAVES
WASTE-PICKERS – YOUNG MEN WEAVING THEIR WAY THROUGH THE CITY ON FLATBED CARTS PACKED HIGH WITH PLASTIC – ARE A COMMON SIGHT ON THE STREETS OF SOUTH AFRICA. THEY ARE SUPERB ATHLETES IN THEIR OWN RIGHT, DODGING CARS, PEDESTRIANS AND TAXIS, FLYING DOWN STEEP SLOPES AT BREAKNECK SPEEDS AND TRUDGING UP HILLS, SOMETIMES TRAVELLING OVER 50 KM IN ONE DAY. BUT THE REAL MAGIC IS IN THE INVALUABLE WORK THEY DO FOR THE ENVIRONMENT, ESPECIALLY OCEAN CONSERVATION. INSPIRED BY THESE CITY SURFERS, PROFESSIONAL BIG-WAVE SURFER FRANK SOLOMON TEAMED UP WITH CORONA AND AWARD-WINNING ADVENTURE FILMMAKER, ARTHUR NEUMEIER, TO CREATE Street Surfers, A SHORT DOCUMENTARY WHICH TELLS THE INCREDIBLE STORY OF SOUTH AFRICA’S UNSUNG ECO HEROES.
Solomon has been surfing since childhood, and has developed a deep love for the sport and the environment. In addition to travelling the world for his surfing career, he has been involved in a number of conservation and outreach projects. These include beach clean-ups and the creation of the Sentinel Ocean Alliance, which works with underprivileged youth in Hout Bay, Cape Town, and teaches them how to surf, protect our oceans, and become lifeguards.
At the beginning of Street Surfers, Solomon says, “I’ve heard about these surfers, hundreds of kilometres from the ocean, and I’ve decided that I just have to meet them.”The documentary follows Solomon’s journey from Cape Town to Johannesburg to connect with two of these incredible men: Mokete “Kwena” Mokete and Thabo “Paku” Mouti. The film explores the daily hardships Mokete and Mouti face, as well as the devastating effects of plastic on the environment.
UNWITTING ECO WARRIORS
Mokete and Mouti make their living as waste-pickers, collecting paper and plastic and handing it in to recycling plants to support themselves and their families. Solomon explains that “becoming a street surfer was a decision born of necessity”.The two men star t their day at 03h00 and make their way to the streets, where they collect discarded plastic, facing unhealthy working conditions, dangerous roads and hours of physical exertion.
They have to collect 100 kg of plastic to earn just R300. It is a gruelling and largely thankless job, with many drivers and pedestrians seeing waste-pickers as a nuisance on the roads. However, street surfers are responsible for up to 90% of South Africa’s recycling, and play a vital role in keeping plastic out of our oceans and protecting marine life, which is essential for the survival of our planet.
Solomon spent a day with Mokete and Mouti, trying his hand at their style of surfing – not an easy task, as it turns out! After a day on the streets, he returns with them to their home – a huge settlement that houses thousands of other waste-pickers. It is a striking sight, with countless small shacks peppered amongst mountains of collected plastic. The residents of this plastic city live in the most basic structures, without electricity or running water, and Solomon can hardly believe that “people who are doing something so good for the environment are living in abject poverty”. There’s a heart-wrenching moment when Solomon takes Mokete and Mouti to Cape Town where, for the first time, they will see the ocean that they are working every day to protect.
PLAY YOUR PART
The creators of Street Surfers hope that the film will shed light on the incredible work done by waste-pickers all over
South Africa, and inspire viewers to do their part in preventing plastic pollution. Solomon recognises that this can seem like a huge and overwhelming task, but explains that if each person makes a small effort to pick up a single piece of litter every day, or ensure that their plastic gets recycled, it will make a huge difference.
Street Surfers has achieved global recognition, making the official selection list for a number of film festivals around the world, and winning Best International Short Film at the London Surf Film Festival.The film is available to watch on Vimeo, and on Corona’s YouTube channel.
Following the release of the film in July 2019, Solomon was inundated with messages from inspired viewers asking how they could help Mokete and Mouti and thank them for their incredible work. He explains that, “When I last saw them, I asked how I could help and they said they need help with life.” In November, Solomon set up a BackaBuddy campaign aiming to raise funds for clothing, food and other living expenses. Solomon hopes that this will raise Mokete and Mouti’s standard of living and enable them to further help their community. As of December, over R21,000 has been donated. If you would like to contribute to this worthy cause, you can make your way to www.backabuddy.co.za/street-surfers.
The creators of Street Surfers hope that the film will shed light on the incredible work done by wastepickers all over South Africa, and inspire viewers to do their part in preventing plastic pollution.