Mall Rats Definition:“A surly teenager who spends all of his or her time at the mall with friends. Typically seen standing around glaring at customers — sometimes these fascinating creatures will pick fights with mall security and call them “fascists” for enforcing the mall’s loitering bylaws.”
In 2008 I was driving past Cresta Shopping Mall when I spotted a few children disappear down an embankment near the robots where I had often seen them begging for money from people in cars. I was intrigued as to where they were going so I stopped my car and went over to have a look.
What I discovered shook me to my very foundations as these young children were living in the drainage network underneath one of South Africa’s largest and most influential shopping malls. The boys who were between 9 and 15 years old were all victims of abusive or broken homes. All of them had made the decision to run away and live on the streets of Johannesburg, somehow they managed to find each other and this ragtag bunch of children became a “functioning” family, most probably for the first time in their lives.
They looked out for each other, and while they had almost nothing they shared everything that they did have. I spent a few months documenting their lives, becoming involved in their story. I looked forward to every visit, their bright smiles and blind eagerness for the world that did not want them was so hard to fathom, that I did not have the heart to tell them that their dreams of becoming doctors and lawyers and even policemen were doomed. I just smiled and enjoyed the time we had together.
About 3 months into my visits to them I arrived one afternoon to find a fence around the drain entrance and the boys were gone, apparently, the mall was not happy with their presence and they had been shipped off orphanages. I would love to know where they are today.
The Mall Rats leave their drain and head off for a day of begging and scavenging. PIcture: Shayne Robinson
The Mall Rats soak up the sun and try to dry off after a heavy storm the night before.. PIcture: Shayne Robinson
The Mall Rats slide down the concrete wall next to their drain. PIcture: Shayne Robinson
One of the Mall Rats reads his only book, the pages are taped together because the book is constantly getting wet when storm water floods the drain where they live. Picture: Shayne Robinson
two of the Mall Rats chat about how they are going to find more blankets after a storm the night before washed away most of their meager possessions. Picture: Shayne Robinson
A Mall Rats jumps over the water outside his drain after a storm the night before. the storm washed away most of their meager possessions. Picture: Shayne Robinson
The Mall Rats cross a narrow branch that they use to get over the water at the entrance to the drain home. Picture: Shayne Robinson
The Mall Rats sit at the entrance to the main tunnel as the sun rises and chat about what they need to get done for the day. Picture: Shayne Robinson
The Mall Rats sit in the main tunnel and talk about what they all did that day. The only light they have comes from candles and matches. Picture: Shayne Robinson
One of the Mall Rats explores one of the many tunnels in the drain where they live. Picture: Shayne Robinson
One of the Mall Rats explores one of the many tunnels in the drain where they live. Picture: Shayne Robinson
The Mall Rats climb up the wall from the drain where they live. Picture: Shayne Robinson
One of the Mall Rats emerges from the drain where he lives. Picture: Shayne Robinson
One of the Mall Rats begs for money from a motorist near the drain where he lives. Picture: Shayne Robinson
The mall rats relax on the grass opposite the entrance to the drain where they live on a Sunday afternoon. PIcture: Shayne Robinson