Rock Sale

posted by Ismail Farouk at Monday, July 16, 2007

Rock Sale was a public protest and performance in defiance of the Johannesburg City by-laws which prohibited street trading on the sidewalks of Johannesburg. The corporate regeneration programme in Braamfontein (JHB) instituted in 2002 showed no recognition towards the street traders and applied a heavy hand through persecution and harassment by the Metro Police. Every time a police raid occurred, traders were fined R150 and their goods were confiscated. Sometimes harassment by the police resulted in violent action as traders were often beaten and abused.

In response to this situation I devised a performance where I stationed myself on the sidewalk in Braamfontein and, in direct contravention of the By-Laws; I attempted to sell rocks and piles of sand - Objects of no monetary value! I priced these items at R150 (15 Euro) each. The location for my stall was a sidewalk outside a prominent shopping center in Braamfontein. My performance was carried out over a period of 2 days. My stall was demarcated by existing painted floor markings which marked out trading spaces where trading was possible before the corporate regeneration programme was instituted.

The objectives of my actions were to raise awareness to the unequal playing field created by the regeneration program. I also wanted to know if the police would confiscate my rocks - Would they? I was breaking the law after all.

After setting up I was immediately surrounded by people. They wanted to know what I was doing. People shouted random insults at me. It seems my actions were really confusing to some people – no rock sales were made.

It was not long before taxi drivers became curious about my performance. They hung out in my stall, standing behind me chirping at passers-by and thoroughly entertained by the rock sale.

It took a while for the police to turn up. A Metro Policeman asked me to explain my actions. I handed her a pamphlet which read, "Did you know that the rights of traders on Jorissen Street are being violated by the Government?"

I thought I had done enough to earn some trouble with the law. But to my amazement, the Metro Officer thought my actions were funny and she laughed at me before leaving. It seems its ok to sell rocks and piles of sand in a no trade area of the city but don’t dare try selling convenience items like cigarettes and sweets because you will be beaten and fined.

Labels: Creative Response, Exhibitions, Movies, rock sale