The young South African photographers you need to follow on Instagram
- Text by Alex King
- Photography by Sipho Mpongo
![The young South African photographers you need to follow on Instagram](https://images.huckmag.com/tco/images/Huck/Screen-Shot-2015-08-20-at-15.19.22_2023-03-27-082526_mfua.png?w=1920&q=75&auto=compress&format=jpg)
Now more than ever, South Africa is a land of contrasts. Post-apartheid, the country has one of the most progressive constitutions in the world, yet suffers from striking inequalities.
There are no “Whites Only” signs any more, but tensions remain between the country’s many races. While it struggles with epidemic levels of violence, it’s fast emerging as a creative powerhouse.
There’s still a lot to be done to live up to the promise of the Rainbow Nation, but one thing is for certain: South Africa is never boring.
To understand the complicated place they call home, three of South Africa’s brightest young photographers came together as Twenty Journey.
Sipho Mpongo, Sean Metelerkamp and Wikus de Wet crowdfunded a journey around the country and shared the story in Huck’s Documentary Photography Special III.
We reached out to the trio to find out who we should be following on Instagram for a fresh, young perspective on the new South Africa.
Sipho Mpongo:
Imraan Christian – @imraanchristian
![Imraan Christian](https://images.huckmag.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/Imraan-Christian.jpeg?w=1920&q=75&auto=compress&format=jpg)
Imraan Christian is a young, energetic photographer who is very active and conscious of the state of the country. He is doing a good job at making us remember our past as we yearn for the future.
Andile Buka – @buka_andile
![Andile-Buka](https://images.huckmag.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/Andile-Buka.jpg?w=1920&q=75&auto=compress&format=jpg)
Andile Buka documents the imaginary aspect of our lives and there is a poetic feel to how he presses his shutter button. It’s quiet, more like the secret you should not know.
Reatile Moalusi – @reatilemoalusi
![Reatile](https://images.huckmag.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/Reatile.jpeg?w=1920&q=75&auto=compress&format=jpg)
Reatile captures the extraordinary of our lives.
Sean Metelerkamp:
Kyle Weeks – @_kyleweeks_
![Kyle Weeks](https://images.huckmag.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/Kyle-Weeks.jpeg?w=1920&q=75&auto=compress&format=jpg)
A young dude whose eye I am keen to watch develop. His latest, soon to be released, series involving palm trees (without giving too much away) is going to blow people away.
David Southwood – @crockette1
![Crockette](https://images.huckmag.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/Crockette.jpeg?w=1920&q=75&auto=compress&format=jpg)
His new series in Lesotho are some of the most beautiful images I have seen come out of South Africa in recent times. Keep an eye out for when that drops as a body of work.
Kristin-Lee Moolman – @kristinleemoolman
![Unknown-1](https://images.huckmag.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/Unknown-12.jpeg?w=1920&q=75&auto=compress&format=jpg)
JOBURG! FRESH!
Wikus de Wet:
Ilan Godfrey – @ilangodfrey
![Ilan Godfrey](https://images.huckmag.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/Ilan-Godfrey.jpeg?w=1920&q=75&auto=compress&format=jpg)
Ilan focuses mostly on long term projects. He focuses on subject matter that I take great interest in. It is great to see some of the more recent things he photographs on his Instagram feed.
Alexia Webster – @alexiawebster
![Alexia Webster](https://images.huckmag.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/Alexia-Webster.jpeg?w=1920&q=75&auto=compress&format=jpg)
Alexia travels a lot for assignments. It is always great to see South African stories in between her Instagram feed of her travels.
Ihsaan Haffejee – @ihsaan_haffo
![Ihsaan-Haffejee](https://images.huckmag.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/Ihsaan-Haffejee.jpg?w=1920&q=75&auto=compress&format=jpg)
Always interesting to see the diversity in Ihsaan’s instagram feed. Reminds me that South Africa is a magnificently puzzled country.
To find out more about Twenty Journey, grab a copy of Huck’s Documentary Photography Special III here or subscribe to make sure you don’t miss another issue.
Latest on Huck
![Is skateboarding really a subculture anymore?](https://images.huckmag.com/tco/images/Huck/Huck81_Socials_HeroImage_SkateboardingIsNotASubculture_240618_V2-1.jpg?w=1920&q=75&auto=compress&format=jpg)
Is skateboarding really a subculture anymore?
With skate’s inclusion in the Olympics, Kyle Beachy asks what it means for the culture around the sport, and whether it’s possible to institutionalise an artform.
Written by: Kyle Beachy
![Autism cannot be cured — stop trying](https://images.huckmag.com/tco/images/Huck/shutterstock_2322534063.jpg?w=1920&q=75&auto=compress&format=jpg)
Autism cannot be cured — stop trying
A questionable study into the ‘reversal’ of autism does nothing but reinforce damaging stereotypes and harm, argues autistic author Jodie Hare.
Written by: Jodie Hare
![Bristol Photo Festival returns for second edition](https://images.huckmag.com/tco/images/Huck/Hashem-Shakeri-from-the-series-_Staring-into-the-Abyss_.-%C2%A9-Hashem-Shakeri.jpg?w=1920&q=75&auto=compress&format=jpg)
Bristol Photo Festival returns for second edition
After the success of it’s inaugural run, the festival returns this autumn with exhibitions, education and community programmes exploring a world in constant motion through still image.
Written by: Ben Smoke
![Documenting the life of a New York gang leader paralysed by gun violence](https://images.huckmag.com/tco/images/Huck/web-Eyanna-has-always-been-Maliks-primary-caregiver.jpg?w=1920&q=75&auto=compress&format=jpg)
Documenting the life of a New York gang leader paralysed by gun violence
New photobook ‘Say Less’ is a complex yet humanising look into a life wrecked by gun violence and organised crime.
Written by: Isaac Muk
![The woman who defined 80s Hip Hop photography](https://images.huckmag.com/tco/images/Huck/7_ULTRAMAGNETIC-MCS_NYC-1990.jpg?w=1920&q=75&auto=compress&format=jpg)
The woman who defined 80s Hip Hop photography
A new exhibition brings together Janette Beckman’s visionary and boundary pushing images of an era of cultural change and moral panic.
Written by: Miss Rosen
![In photos: the dogs of Dogtown](https://images.huckmag.com/tco/images/Huck/saguy_dogtown_02_RGB.jpg?w=1920&q=75&auto=compress&format=jpg)
In photos: the dogs of Dogtown
A new photobook documents Venice Beach’s four legged friends and their colourful cast of owners.
Written by: Isaac Muk