HOTEL YEOVILLE: Home & awayIA Summit 2008 by Jason Hobbs, 13 April 2008

A brief history of Yeoville: Johannesburg in transition

A joke in bad taste

Johannesburg - the new york of

africa

65% of the inhabitants in Yeoville are foreign African nationals

> Congo> Nigeria> Angola> Botswana> Comoros> DRC> Ethiopia> Ghana> Ivory Coast> Liberia> Malawi> Mali> Togo> Zambia> Zimbabwe

You’ll find ‘little Congo’, ‘little Nigeria’; ‘little Ethiopia’’. Walking down the street you can see the difference in facial structure, physique and dress.

From the Congo to the Ivory Coast, through Joburg via Yeoville, then to Cape Town and a restaurant called Primi Piatti.

But although it’s colourfuland diverse there is a much harder reality

“The ability of these residents to gain and retain access to the most basic conditions of urban life is … undermined by corrupt and poorly managed immigration policy.

Refugees and asylum seekers are denied access to basic health services, housing and education; faced with arbitrary arrests, detentions, extortion, xenophobic attacks and more.

They are isolated and excluded from mainstream South African society and their dominant engagement is with each other and with home in far away places.” Terry Kurgan

“Yeoville is a space of dislocation, insecurity, uncertainty, transience, neglect, crime, contest, exploitation and the transgression of boundaries. And, amongst old Yeoville residents, it is a space of romance, nostalgia and memories of another city altogether.

Yeoville is a manifestation of the city making its new identity, finding itself anew, and setting down fresh roots. Again.” Terry Kurgan

The project

It’s an art work: An exhibition,A book andA community web project.

It’s a cultural investigation and intervention.

Key players:

Terry Kurgan: public realm art projectsJohn Spiropoulos: urban redevelopment and management

University of the Witwatersrand Department of Forced Migration Studies

Funding from the Ford Foundation.

“The project aims to investigate, record and make visible the experience of the people who are living there, and to consider the implication of these reflections for the decisions of policymakers, city planners and designers.

It will contribute to a bottom-up policy making process, one whose content will, through the intermediation of the project, draw on the everyday lived experience of urban residents themselves.

It is hoped that the knowledge thus gained will help promote urban strategies whose central concerns are the human rights and wellbeing of all city residents.” Terry Kurgan

theinternet

café connection

For the past 3 years I have been researching internet cafés in Johannesburg, exploring concepts of communal computing and shared spaces of use.

I was introduced to the project because Yeoville is one of three internet café hubs we identified in Johannesburg.

Yeoville has over 20 cafe’s in a 5-7 block radius.

So the concept for the web-based community intervention became obvious from the way people were living:

> Negotiate with internet café owners to make the Hotel-Yeoville website the default home page on all their terminals.

> This would deliver a community website for an actual community in a specific geographic location.

EXPLORATION

DislocationInsecurity

UncertaintyTransience

NeglectCrime

ContestExploitation

TransgressionIsolation / exclusion

ConnectednessSecurityCertainly / reliabilityConsistencySupportedPeace / safetyCollaborationOpportunityContributionCommunity / Inclusion

Keywords explored

RepresentationGatheringRecordingMaking visibleSharingExchangingParticipatingCollaboratingConversationSupportReconfigureAccessNeeds / rightsResources

RepresentationGatherRecord

Make visibleShare

ExchangeParticipateCollaborate

Conversation

SupportReconfigure

AccessNeeds / rights

Resources

Regrouped

REPRESENT

EXCHANGE SUPPORT

And core themes identified

web intervention strategy

Web intervention strategyThe experience must manifest these themes

REPRESENT

EXCHANGE SUPPORT

CURRENT EXPERIENCE

DislocationInsecurity

UncertaintyTransience

NeglectCrime

ContestExploitation

TransgressionIsolation / exclusion

PREFERRED EXPERIENCE

ConnectednessSecurityCertainly / reliabilityConsistencySupportedPeace / safetyCollaborationOpportunity / actualisationContributionCommunity / Inclusion

Objectives

Website intervention objectives

1. Create change

2. Measure impact

3. influence

4. Support cafe owners

5. Replicate

Research

For this phase of the project we used five researchers for 3 research exercises.

Researchers included: John, myself and Sephiwe (South Africa), Gini (from Cameroon) and Michael (from Nigeria).

We used a web based questionnaire on a temporary Hotel Yeoville website. It was the default home page on terminals of 6 of the internet cafés in the area. Total responses: 31

We covered 6 cafes, interviewed all their owners (or managers) and we interviewed 66 users in these café.

Research overview: the user

Foreign African nationals, 20 – 40 years old, who’ve been here for between 1 and 5 years. In most cases the intention or desire is to stay. English and French are the primary languages spoken. Primary reasons for come to SA: study, work, business, asylum seeking & quality of life (in that order). Of those interviewed, only 9% are actually studying at present.

Most are educated (with some form of degree) but 63% of those interviewed are out of work. Most are not working in the fields they studied in or desire to. The savvy begin new businesses, other often become hawkers, chefs, waiters, etc.

Plans for the future: education, creating businesses or getting better jobs, creating families, fulfilling a social role, travel and to achieve a better quality of life.

Personal dreams, hopes, desires: centred around owning businesses and further study. Other dreams centred around investing in their own countries (also in despotic leaders being removed). Others wanted peace, and to be able to live in South Africa without the fear of discrimination and xenophobia. Many hoped and dreamed to find jobs in their chosen profession.

Others had philanthropic concerns, such as assisting those that were poverty stricken and those with HIV /AIDS.

Research overview: the café

40% have been used the Internet for 1 - 5 years. 45% for 5 - 10 years. Most have learnt to use the Internet at Internet Cafes. They use email, phone and sms.

71% use cafe's more than once a day. People are using the ancillary services within the cafe's too.

40% of people are using more than one cafe, 60% seem to have a close relationship with the cafe (considering that most use it more than once a day).

Using these cafes is closely related to proximity to where they live, meeting friends, going to shops or they work nearby.

30% of cafe users have a PC at home and an Internet connection and 22% have access at a place of study or work but they're using cafes anyway.

The main reason given is cost of connecting at home and being away from the office or place of study.

Research overview: use

Top uses of the Internet (in highest to lowest order): email, keeping in touch with friends / family, looking for jobs, instant messaging, research / study, running a business, seeking information from Government websites, chat rooms, reading blogs, recreation / entertainment, shopping (25%) banking (15%).

The biggest benefit to this community appears to be the fact that communication is cheap, accessible and fast on the internet. It keeps people connected, and makes the world smaller for them. Some people felt that it helped them to meet new people. Others felt that it was an important source of information, breaking barriers and enabling people to learn and grow.

Key user needs

"What would be helpful on the website?"

1. Accommodation finding; job seeking; advertising personal services; naturalisation / legal help / rights; communication with friends & family

2. Support groups; community news3. Buying & selling; communication with Yeoville municipality

"Would the following info be useful"

1. Naturalisation / legal / rights2. Medical / child support3. Crime alerts4. Educational resources5. Local entertainment6. Arts & culture related

"Useful tools?"

1. Notice boards2. Conversation forums3. messaging (IM, chat, Skype)4. Classifieds / adverts

"Interacting with the local community"

1. Messaging others (email, other)2. Personal profiles, sharing experiences, reading / viewing others3. Sharing personal interests / creative activities (e.g. art works, photos, music)4. Support groups

Other noteworthy ideas / suggestions:

- Map of Yeoville - Crime statistics - HIV awareness - Religious & sporting programmes- Seeking funding for studies - Study related information such as permits, where to study- Clubs, games for kids- Help for abandoned kids- Teaching reading for kids under the age of 10- Recognise the existence of the gay community- Ways to learn about new technology- Unite Africa through the site- Help with finding clubs (such as a soccer club)- Help with feeling safe in Yeoville- Women's rights and support- Teachings on other African cultures and languages- Expose corruption

Concept developme

nt

Direction 1

Direction 2: ‘life categories’

Represent, exchange, support

Getting to

interface

Template concept

LOG IN > REGISTER >

HOME | ABOUT | PROJECT BLOG | PROJECT PARTNERS | SITE MAP | CONTACT US

Hotel YeovilleADVERTISING

-- TOOLS --

INFORMATION RESOURCES >

GO > PHOTO OF MIKE

HELLO MIKE, LOG OUT >

Your profile >Your photo >

Your inbox:

You have 3 new messages. View now >You have 12 messages in your box

You have 6 contacts. View now >

Your groups:

You are not a part of any groups. Start a group >Find a group >

Your forums:

You are not a part of any groups. Raise a topic >

Explore topics >

Your friends & contacts:

PHOTO

OF

MIKE

PHOTO OF ...

PHOTO OF ...

Macy >

Wilfred >

View all your friends >

Family & home

StudyPlay CommunityWorkLove

Your classifieds:

You have not posted any classifieds: Create a message >

View classifieds >

Home page conceptPlace holder graphic for photo

LOG IN > REGISTER >

HOME | ABOUT | PROJECT BLOG | PROJECT PARTNERS | SITE MAP | CONTACT US

Hotel YeovilleADVERTISING

-- TOOLS --

INFORMATION RESOURCES >

GO >

ABOUT HOTEL YEOVILLE

Family & home

StudyPlay CommunityWorkLove

We recommend:

Use classifieds to help you find jobs, accommodation or to buy and sell things.

Register now > Log in >

About Hotel Yeoville:

Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetuer adipiscing elit. Class aptent taciti sociosqu ad litora torquent per conubia nostra, per inceptos hymenaeos. Sed dictum, neque eu facilisis pulvinar, velit mi nonummy dolor, pharetra

consectetuer lorem magna vel wisi. Donec convallis, neque ut mollis vulputate, sem orci interdum tortor, sit amet interdum sapien neque ac elit. Morbi commodo mollis odio. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetuer adipiscing elit.

Aliquam nec dui. Maecenas condimentum urna eget nibh. Donec nec diam et neque consectetuer facilisis. Etiam id sapien vel sem imperdiet dapibus. Aliquam erat volutpat. Maecenas orci. Aenean eu metus. Donec libero. Etiam imperdiet. Vestibulum nonummy blandit dui.

New members: Gini, Mike k, Franscois, Gorgio, Sephewe, Ceephewe, Terry, Jason, John, Belinda

LATEST CLASSIFIEDS LATEST GROUPSLATEST FORUMS

4 / 10 / 2007 I’m a qualified engineer looking for work. Please contact me if…Posted by MikeK

4 / 10 / 2007 Lift share to Randburg. Monday, Thursday, …. Posted by Umtotu

4 / 10 / 2007 I am looking for work as a lecturer in Economics. If you... Posted by Emanuel

Is it safe to work at night in Ralleigh street?

How to get work as a refugee

Men get all the jobs!!!!

Childcare for working women? We need help!

Finding work in IT

Support for women who want to work

Getting a job & HIV status

Children must study not work

-- VIEW IN -- GO >

VIEW ALL > VIEW ALL > VIEW ALL >

-- VIEW IN -- GO > -- VIEW IN -- GO >

New or updated information resources:

Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetuer adipiscing elit. Class aptent [In WORK]Hymenaeos. Sed dictum, neque eu facilisis pulvinar [in PLAY]Velit mi nonummy dolor, pharetra consectetuer lorem magna vel wisi. Donec [in FAMILY & HOME]Convallis, neque ut mollis vulputate, sem orci interdum tortor, sit [in COMMUNITY]

ADS / PROMOTIONS / F

EATURES /

CULTURAL

ADS / PROMOTIONS / F

EATURES /

CULTURAL

ADS / PROMOTIONS / F

EATURES /

CULTURAL

[INTERACTIVE ART OBJECT E.G. TEGAN WORK]

In life categoriesHOME | ABOUT | PROJECT BLOG | PROJECT PARTNERS | SITE MAP | CONTACT US

Hotel YeovilleADVERTISING

-- TOOLS --

INFORMATION RESOURCES >

GO >

CLASSIFIEDS | FORUMS | GROUPS | RESOURCES

WORK CLASSIFIEDS VIEW ALL >

VIEW ALL >

LATEST TOPICS LATEST GROUPS

VIEW ALL > VIEW ALL >

RESOURCES TO HELP YOU:

> Legal / work status> Businesses in the area> Starting a business> Employment agencies> Download CV templates

Family & home

StudyPlay CommunityLove Work

4 / 10 / 2007 I’m a qualified engineer looking for work. Please contact me if…Posted by MikeK

4 / 10 / 2007 Lift share to Randburg. Monday, Thursday, …. Posted by Umtotu

4 / 10 / 2007 I am looking for work as a lecturer in Economics. If you... Posted by Emanuel

Is it safe to work at night in Ralleigh street?

How to get work as a refugee

Men get all the jobs!!!!

Childcare for working women? We need help!

Finding work in IT

Support for women who want to work

Getting a job & HIV status

Children must study not work

ADVERTISING

CREATE A MESSAGE >

START A TOPIC > CREATE A GROUP >

PHOTO OF MIKE

HELLO MIKE, LOG OUT >

Your profile >Your photo >

Your inbox:

You have 3 new messages. View now >You have 12 messages in your box

You have 6 contacts. View now >

Your groups:

You are not a part of any groups. Start a group >Find a group >

Your forums:

You are not a part of any groups. Raise a topic >

Explore topics >

Your friends & contacts:

PHOTO

OF

MIKE

PHOTO OF ...

PHOTO OF ...

Macy >

Wilfred >

View all your friends >

Your classifieds:

You have not posted any classifieds: Create a message >

View classifieds >

HELP FINDING WORK:

We’ve compiled a list of the top job-seeking websites. We recommend you use them all to increase your chances of finding work. (let us know if you have other resources that could help people find jobs)

TIP: Make sure you’re fit to work in SA. Take a look at ‘Legal and work status’ in our resources section.

Career Junction > Top Jobs > Your best job > Inanzi jobs >

TIP: Make sure your CV is properly prepared. It can make all the difference! Download CV templates >

My profileHOME | ABOUT | PROJECT BLOG | PROJECT PARTNERS | SITE MAP | CONTACT US

Hotel YeovilleADVERTISING

-- TOOLS --

INFORMATION RESOURCES >

GO >

PHOTO OF GINI

GINI’s PROFILE consectetuer adipiscing elit. Class aptent taciti sociosqu ad litora torquent per

conubia nostra, per inceptos hymenaeos. Sed dictum, neque eu facilisis pulvinar, velit

ADD AS A FRIEND > SEND HER AN EMAIL >

GINI HAS 6 FRIENDS >

LOVE PLAY STUDY WORK COMMUNITYFAMILY & HOME

how did you come to be here? Why did you come? What has your experience been like?

Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetuer adipiscing elit. Class aptent taciti sociosqu ad litora torquent per conubia nostra, per inceptos hymenaeos. Sed dictum, neque eu facilisis pulvinar, velit mi nonummy dolor, pharetra consectetuer lorem magna vel wisi. Donec convallis, neque ut mollis vulputate, sem orci interdum tortor, sit amet interdum sapien neque ac elit. Morbi commodo mollis odio. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetuer adipiscing elit. Aliquam nec dui. Maecenas condimentum urna eget nibh. Donec nec diam et neque consectetuer facilisis. Etiam id sapien vel sem imperdiet dapibus. Aliquam erat volutpat. Maecenas orci. Aenean eu metus. Donec libero. Etiam imperdiet. Vestibulum nonummy blandit dui.

Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetuer adipiscing elit. Class aptent taciti sociosqu ad litora torquent per

conubia nostra, per inceptos hymenaeos. Sed dictum, neque eu facilisis pulvinar, velit

GROUPS: 1. Gini joined the group ‘Day care for children’2. Gini started the group ‘Cameroonians in Yeoville’

FORUMS:1. Gini commented in the discussion “Complaining to landlords’2. Gini commented in the discussion ‘Womens safety’

CLASSIFIEDS:1. “I’m looking for a place to stay in…’2. ‘I have a bicycle to sell for…’3. ‘Looking for someone to share….’

Family & home

StudyPlay CommunityWorkLove

PHOTO OF MIKE

HELLO MIKE, LOG OUT >

Your profile >Your photo >

Your inbox:

You have 3 new messages. View now >You have 12 messages in your box

You have 6 contacts. View now >

Your groups:

You are not a part of any groups. Start a group >Find a group >

Your forums:

You are not a part of any groups. Raise a topic >

Explore topics >

Your friends & contacts:

PHOTO

OF

MIKE

PHOTO OF ...

PHOTO OF ...

Macy >

Wilfred >

View all your friends >

Your classifieds:

You have not posted any classifieds: Create a message >

View classifieds >

Content

In ‘Family & Home’ HOME

FAMILY & HOME WORK PLAY STUDY COMMUNITYUTILITY

NAVIGATION

TOOLS RESOURCES PROFILE

1.Accommodation

boards

2.Forum

10.Accommodation contracts

1.Medical aid / child support

2.Naturalisation / legal rights

3. HIV awareness

4.Help for abandoned kids

5.Women’s rights and

support

2.E-mail / alerts from

accommodation board

3. Create comment /

question for the forum

1.Create an

accommodation advert / request

6.Accommodation rights: purchasing and tenants

5.(Support) groups

7.Clubs / games for kids

LOG IN

4. Create a group

8.Financial support

9.Refugee status

In ‘Community’ HOME

FAMILY & HOME WORK PLAY STUDY COMMUNITYUTILITY

NAVIGATION

TOOLS RESOURCES PROFILE

1. Community

board

2.Forums

2.Contact

municipality

3.Yeoville history

4.Yeoville map3.

Groups

5.Charity & NPO’s

6.Internet cafes

7.Info about other cultures in the

area

LOG IN

1.Add to

community board

2.Find a group / create a group

3. Create

comment / question for the

forum

1.Rights &

responsibilities

8.Crime

9.Abuse

10.Religion &

congregations

Thanks to Terry Kurgan and Mark Lewis for their permission of use of photography. Thanks to Terry Kurgan for the various extracts from documents and presentations she has made which I’ve used here.

end