The walls tell their stories: Street art brings Noordgesig’s history to life

Noordgesig, at the northernmost boundary of Soweto, Johannesburg, is also known as Bulte, meaning hills. That’s because it’s surrounded by surreal old mine dumps, which are visible from just about everywhere here. But the place pops with colour as you enter off New Canada Road, the historical gateway to Soweto. From street art, murals and shop signs to entire buildings colourfully painted, one of the most inspiring things about a three-hour tour around Noordgesig is learning how public art has united a community. We are a small group of tourists, mostly foreigners and expats, and are welcomed into the home of Fabian and Lavinia Otto. We are given traditional ginger beer, Cape Malay-style koesisters and freshly baked bread – and are introduced to the puppies. Fabian and Lavinia are seasoned community activists, artists, teachers, entrepreneurs and tour guides. They began these tours about five years ago, after their interest had been piqued by a Johannesburg Heritage Foundation workshop. “We were inspired to use art and tourism to develop Noordgesig,” says Fabian. “It’s a tight-knit community with a rich history, and we have been using street art to tell stories, to spark people’s imaginations and to creatively involve the community, especially...