Tuesday, August 18, 2026

Tuckshop Stories - Narratives From The Township


South Africa is gripped by anti-immigrant sentiments that have resulted in various  
acts of xenophobic impunity against many foreign nationals in recent months.  


Commonly held reasons for these tension are said to stem from disproportionate numbers of foreign owned businesses that are found in townships.  


These grievances are further exacerbated by the dire economic conditions faced by many black South Africans who feel betrayed by their government that has seemingly allowed an influx of illegal immigrants to run rampant on local streets as organised criminal cartels or inform workers. 

 
But are all the stories of foreigners being scrupulous business people and criminals  
escaping justice, validated by facts?  


This documentary delves into stories of foreign tuck-shop operators, asking whether their lived experiences translate into the tale of economic exploitation that has been preached by anti-immigrant movements.  


And this is the first in an episodic series of conversations with various tuck-shop   operators, with the continued effort to document more as time progresses. 


Filmed By 
Paul Zisiwe 


Edited By 
Khahliso Matela 


Production Manager  
Catherine Mthembu 


Featuring 
Ashanti “Abram” Mishumo 
Simon Mantlathi 
Nichola Mohoje 


*** 


NOTE OF REQUEST 


Over the past year, I have produced four documentary films that address the service  
delivery concerns of my home community of Kokosi, and these films are passion  
projects created with an old and failing camera with no professional sound or  
lighting equipment.  


I continue to be confronted by activists and community members with a variety of  
social issues to tackle, and as a documentarian who knows the importance of  
silenced voices, I selflessly pursue these filming excursions without any financial  
support, working with the unreliable equipment at hand. 


It is in this light that EXT Lab Media requests any equipment donations from entities  
who are touched by the work done thus far, for the continued crafting of narratives rooted in lived experience of township based communities. 


To offer any assistance, please feel free to contact the filmmaker at  
tjobolo.khahliso@gmail.com 


Kind regards, 


Paul Khahliso Matela Zisiwe 
Filmmaker/Writer 
http://anirrationaldiary.blogspot.com

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Tuckshop Stories - Narratives From The Township

South Africa is gripped by anti-immigrant sentiments that have resulted in various   acts of xenophobic impunity against many foreign nation...