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IOL News
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- IOL News
Rashid Lombard Tribute: A cultural giant, comrade, and dear friend
Carl Niehaus pays tribute to acclaimed activist and photojournalist Rashid Lombard who passed away this week. Image: Phando Jikelo / Independent Newspapers With a heavy heart, I mourn Rashid Lombard, a titan of South African culture, a revolutionary artist, and my cherished friend, who left us on June 4, 2025, at the age of 74. His death is a profound loss, not only to me personally but to the nation, the arts community, and all who knew his boundless humanity. I extend my deepest condolences to Rashid's beloved wife, Colleen, his children Chevan, Shadley, Yana, Zach, and Daniel, his numerous grandchildren, his countless friends, colleagues in the arts, and fellow comrades across South Africa, particularly in Cape Town and the Western Cape. Rashid was a mensch—a true human being whose warmth, humour, and unwavering commitment to justice illuminated every space he entered. Our friendship, spanning decades, was a cornerstone of my life, forged in the struggle against apartheid and deepened through shared dreams of a liberated South Africa. Born in 1951 in North End, Gqeberha, and later relocating to Cape Town in 1962, Rashid's life was shaped by the brutal realities of apartheid. The forced removals under the Group Areas Act, which shattered his diverse community, ignited a political consciousness that defined his work. Influenced by the Black Consciousness Movement, he wielded his camera as a weapon, capturing the pain, resilience, and hope of oppressed communities. Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. 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Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Next Stay Close ✕ His archive of over 500,000 photographs, now housed at the University of the Western Cape, stands as a testament to his fearless dedication to truth. From the unrest of the 1980s to Nelson Mandela's release in 1990 and South Africa's first democratic elections in 1994, Rashid's images, published globally through outlets like AFP, BBC, and NBC, exposed apartheid's inhumanity and amplified the call for freedom. His work, featured in exhibitions across Southern Africa and in the seminal book South Africa: The Cordoned Heart (1985), documented the political mobilisation against oppression. As a member of the Vukalisa artists' collective, he championed community-based cultural activities, ensuring art was a tool for resistance and enlightenment. His 2010 book Jazz Rocks immortalised the spirit of jazz and its role in the anti-apartheid struggle, reflecting his deep connection with musicians who became his 'friends and family.' Our personal bond grew strongest in the late 1990s when I served as South Africa's ambassador to the Netherlands. Together, we poured our hearts into bringing the North Sea Jazz Festival from The Hague to Cape Town, a vision that evolved into the Cape Town International Jazz Festival (CTIJF) under Rashid's extraordinary leadership. Working closely with him, I witnessed his genius as a music entrepreneur and his fierce commitment to uplifting communities through art. Launched in 2000, the CTIJF became Africa's largest jazz event, blending South African and international talent while prioritising inclusivity. Rashid's vision ensured the festival empowered disadvantaged communities through training programs in music and dance, fostering a legacy of cultural integration and economic upliftment. Those moments of collaboration were filled with his laughter and warmth, reminding me always of the power of human connection. I am immensely grateful for Rashid's contributions to photography and art entrepreneurship. Initially trained as an architectural draughtsman, he transitioned into industrial photography before becoming a renowned news and documentary photographer. His images, published in progressive outlets like Grassroots and South, chronicled the fight for human dignity. The CTIJF, established through his founding of espAfrika in 1997, transformed Cape Town into a global jazz capital, a testament to his entrepreneurial spirit and commitment to cultural resistance. Rashid's progressive political engagement was equally inspiring. His photography was activism, bearing witness to protests, political figures, and everyday life under apartheid. His establishment of the CTIJF was a deliberate act of defiance, creating spaces where South Africans could celebrate their shared humanity. His work earned him prestigious accolades, including the Order of the Disa for meritorious service to the Western Cape, the SABC/Southern African Music Rights Organisation Jazz Achievement Award for his lifelong contribution to the South African music industry, and, in 2014, the National Order of Ikhamanga in Silver, recognising his role in placing South Africa on the global cultural stage. Rashid's loss is a wound that cuts to the core. His kindness, his stories, his belief in justice and beauty made every moment with him a gift. Whether we were strategizing over the festival or sharing quiet conversations, his presence was a reminder of what it means to live with purpose and love. His passing leaves an ache I know is shared by Cape Town, the Western Cape, and all of South Africa, where his legacy endures in every note played at the CTIJF and every image that tells our story. To honour Rashid's memory fully, I reflect on the countless lives he touched. His ability to connect with people—musicians, activists, ordinary South Africans—was unparalleled. I recall late-night discussions about jazz as a form of resistance, his eyes alight with passion as he spoke of artists like Hugh Masekela and Miriam Makeba. His home was a haven for creatives, a place where ideas flourished, and his generosity knew no bounds. He mentored young photographers and musicians, sharing his knowledge with a humility that inspired all who knew him.
The Citizen
28-05-2025
- Politics
- The Citizen
ANC hero George Mbhele remembered
The KZN ANC interim fundraiser, Nomagugu Simelane-Mngadi, addressed scores of ANC members at the George Mbhele memorial lecture at the Adventist Youth Camp in Anerley last Saturday. Simelalane-Mngadi said that not all ANC heroes were famous and that they were gathered to remember a man whose story is rarely told. 'The name George Mbhele does not easily roll off many people's tongues. This is because, way too often, we tend to only speak of the struggle for our liberation using names that became famous. We usually pay tribute to Mandela, Tambo, Sisulu, Winnie Mandela, and many others and rightly so; because those leaders made a great contribution to our liberation. But today, we have an opportunity to go deeper to take an unusual, but equally important route and remember those who were just as brave and committed, but whose names don't get mentioned every day in our public discourse. Comrade George Mbhele is one of those heroes,' she said. According to Simelane-Mngadi, Mbhele was a teacher, a husband, a father, a leader, and a freedom fighter at Umzumbe Fairview Mission in 1930, and joined the liberation struggle due to his strong sense of justice and patriotism. 'He was the second-born of four brothers and was the first in the area to gain an MBA degree from the University of Fort Hare, even though his father was a farm worker earning peanuts. Mbhele witnessed the repressive laws of apartheid first-hand as they stripped black South Africans of their land rights and dignity, such as the Group Areas Act, which forced people out of their homes to make way for whites-only areas,' she said. Also, Mbhele was a teacher at Lamontville in Durban where he also operated as an ANC youth leader. Twice, he was held on 90 days without trial in solitary confinement due to his political activism. 'In 1961, along with Govan Mbeki and Johnny Makhathini, Mbhele worked with Albertina Sisulu to help recruit nurses from South Africa to work in Tanzania. This was after an exodus of British nurses after Tanzania attained freedom. He was arrested in May 1963 and put in solitary confinement for 11 months before being sentenced to four years' imprisonment on a charge of being an active member of the ANC,' said Simelane-Mngadi. She said Mbhele was taken to Pollsmoor Prison, before being moved to Robben Island, where he stayed behind bars until his release in 1968. 'Mbhele served time alongside Nelson Mandela, Govan Mbeki, and other great leaders of our liberation struggle. At the time of his arrest, his wife, Sibusisiwe Mbhele, was a nurse at King Edward VIII Hospital. She was left alone to raise their two children Njabulo (3) and Duduzile (2),' said Simelane-Mngadi. Mbhele's wife then became the family's sole breadwinner, but authorities forcibly removed her from her workplace for questioning, and she was eventually dismissed from the hospital and banned from working as a nurse. 'On his release in 1968, Mbhele was given a banning order from gaining employment as a teacher, attending church, or having more than two visitors at his home. The couple also had to report to the police station twice a week. On the ANC's advice, they left for the UK on April 10, 1970. He was offered a history teacher's job, after a headmaster read about his story in The Guardian newspaper. His wife also got a nursing job. The family moved to Zimbabwe in 1982, but his wife sadly died in 1987 after a visit to South Africa,' she said. In 1991, Mbhele returned to South Africa with his second wife, Ellen and her children, and became the deputy principal of Fairview Mission School, where his own journey had started. 'In February 1994, Mbhele was shot dead in his office at school, just two months before South Africa's first democratic national elections on April 27, 1994. He was shot by two young boys who came to the school wearing khaki uniforms and gave him a letter to read, but suddenly shot him dead,' said Simelane-Mngadi. HAVE YOUR SAY Like the South Coast Fever's Facebook page At Caxton, we employ humans to generate daily fresh news, not AI intervention. Happy reading!
IOL News
21-05-2025
- Politics
- IOL News
Durban man seeks refuge in the US amid claims of injustices faced by the Indian community in SA
ROBIN Naidoo, chairperson of the Indian Land Claimants Association (Ilca), believes there is hope for Indian South Africans as the US opens its doors to minorities facing discrimination. According to the US embassy and consulates in South Africa, the refugee admissions programme for South Africans, according to President Donald Trump's executive order, now includes disfavoured minorities – Indians and coloureds – who are victims of unjust racial discrimination. Robin Naidoo is among the first Indians who is considering applying for the 'opportunity'. Naidoo was initially upset when Indians were not awarded the same opportunities as the 49 Afrikaners who left for the US on May 13. He said he was delighted that minorities in South Africa could apply for 'asylum' in the US. 'I am extremely grateful that the doors to the US are opened to all minorities. Our future growth has been stifled by over 200 laws in the country and sadly, I believe the ANC discriminates against us. This option to got to the US is under serious consideration by my family. It's not just my decision but that of my family too. It's a big decision so it has to be done correctly. They are keen but have to tie up loose ends, before we take the plunge,' said Naidoo. He said he was considering this opportunity because of the 'unfair discrimination Indians faced in South Africa'. 'The ANC government began the expropriation of land from Indian South Africans, soon after they took over power in 1994. The land that was taken away from us during apartheid was passed on to the ANC, by the outgoing white Nationalist Party. They expropriated the land from Indians pre-1994, under the apartheid laws, the Group Areas Act. 'Most of the expropriated land from Indians remained vacant and were soon illegally occupied by squatters in most cases. Yet, we are the minority race in South Africa with only two million Indians in the country,' said Naidoo. 'The ANC eyed our claimed land and without following the legal procedures under the Restitution of Land Claims Act, which was started by the white regime in 1992, the ANC started the illegal expropriation of our claimed land. In my view, this was racism and expropriation against Indians by the State for the second time,' said Naidoo. He said given the history of Indians in South Africa, he along with others should have been offered refugee status by the US at the start of the programme when it was offered to the Afrikaner farmers. "We faced appropriation of land without compensation, we were moved from our land. So what about our plights? The Afrikaners did not lose their land like we did. 'We would also like have better opportunities for our children. We lost our opportunities when we our farming land was expropriated,' he added. 'Thirty two years on and we have still not been given our land back. Why was the door to the US not opened to us from the beginning?' asked Naidoo. He said that Indians, who have been victims of many injustices, were never treated the same as other races in South Africa. 'Our children struggle to get jobs despite their qualifications and experience. We are discriminated against, denied our land and university entrance. Yet we were not given the same mercy as the Afrikaner farmers. I want my children to have the same opportunities as others and now that we have been given the go-ahead, I hope my children's lives will be better if we choose to take the offer and move to the US,' said Naidoo. To be eligible for US resettlement consideration, individuals must be: - Of South African nationality - Of Afrikaner ethnicity or be a member of a racial minority in South Africa - Able to articulate a past experience of persecution or fear of future persecution THE POST
IOL News
12-05-2025
- General
- IOL News
Mom's inspiring story of raising deaf children
Nayantra Kanaye, the deputy president of the KZN Blind and Deaf Society, enjoys spending time in her garden. Image: Nadia Khan DISCOVERING that both her children were deaf, Nayantra Kanaye felt as if she was 'mourning the loss of a loved one'. However, the 70-year-old deputy president of the KZN Blind and Deaf Society, and a former teacher, said despite the first years being the most difficult, she knew she needed to do everything possible to ensure they had a bright future. In addition, Kanaye, of Mount Edgecombe, has made a difference to the lives of others, who are also deaf, through various programmes during her career and volunteerism. Childhood Kanaye, the second youngest of eight children, was born and raised in Riverside, Durban North. Her family moved to Chatsworth in 1966 due to the Group Areas Act. 'I had one of the best childhoods – growing up in a home filled with love and happiness. We were also quite a large family, and our extended family visited us often. My cousins were always at our home during the holidays. 'We also lived in a closed-knit community where everyone knew one another. My dad, Moolchand Badal, was involved in community work and was a founding member of the Friends of the Sick Association. I remember going with him to visit families in the community at the weekend. 'I also remember watching the Japanese Gardens being built. We played around the area, not realising that people would soon be losing their homes. However, we were among the last families to be moved. My dad fought alongside other residents against this. They fought long and hard – until we had no choice but to leave,' she said. Education Kanaye said she completed Standard 5 (Grade 7) at the Sir Kurma Reddy State aided Indian School, before the family moved to Chatsworth. 'The school was across the road from my home. It was not only our place for learning, but also a venue for all community activities such as sporting events and plays. 'The school was also quite full with limited classrooms. Over the years, I remember there were times when we had our lessons under a tree or at our local temple. The classes held at the temple were the most exciting as I got to walk a distance away from my home and chat to my friends. Whenever there were festivals at the temple, we also got to enjoy the food,' she said. Kanaye said she completed Standard 6 at a primary school in Chatsworth, and then attended Standard 7 at the Chatsworth Number Seven High School in Westcliff. 'We were moved to Havenside, which did not have a high school at the time. However, the following year, Southlands Secondary School opened, which I attended until I completed matric in 1972. My favourite subjects were English and Latin' Further studies and career Kanaye said she completed a diploma in lower secondary education at the Springfield Teachers' Training College. 'I initially did my first year of studies at the University of Durban-Westville before completing the other two years at the college. I really enjoyed studying, especially English, and looked forward to becoming a teacher.' Kanaye said she first taught at a primary school in Chatsworth in 1976. After a year, she taught at a school in Phoenix. Kanaye with her children, Sharvedh and Divashya, before finding out they were deaf. Image: Supplied Family She married Dr Krishna Kanaye, a general practitioner in September 1976. He passed away from Covid-19 in August 2020. Kanaye said shortly after getting married, she fell pregnant with her daughter, Divashya, now 48, and about a year-and-a-half later with her son, Sharvedh, now 46. 'After marriage, we moved to Verulam due to my husband's work. I began teaching at a school. However, I left work when I was about six months pregnant with my daughter as I was quite ill. I enjoyed being at home with my children. They were healthy and were reaching their milestones. I would never have thought what would come next. 'Divashya must have been about a year-and-a-half when we realised something was not right. She was playing with the TV remote and had turned the volume on full, but did not react. My husband and I took her to a specialist, who confirmed she was deaf,' she said. Kanaye said at that time, she and her husband felt as if their world had come 'crashing down'. 'We were distraught. We didn't know any people, especially those who were 'role-models' that were deaf. We only knew those from the charities we assisted. I was mourning as if I lost a loved one, but it was in fact for my children's future. 'We then went to Cape Town to get a second opinion, and attend a programme on how to deal with a deaf child, including communication skills. We were encouraged to talk to our children so they could be 'vocal'. I was told to teach my child, who was profoundly deaf, how to speak, and not use sign language – which would make her lazy. 'At the end of the programme, I was approached by the doctor who said I should also test my son. He was just a few months old, but I did it. He, too, was confirmed to be deaf. I had to take in all of this information, but still remain composed for the sake of my children. But all I wanted to do was cry,' she said. Return to teaching Kanaye said she joined the VN Naik School for the Deaf in 1984. 'Both my children were attending the school and I was quite the active parent – assisting where I could. So when the principal offered me a job, I accepted. The school had also introduced sign language, which I wasn't too keen about as I kept thinking about the professionals who said it was for 'low-functioning' persons. They always said that success meant a child who could vocalise themselves. However, I soon realised that was not so. 'I remember there was a young man, who was deaf, but was working in one of the departments at a university. I thought to myself, he is deaf but a professional. He came to the school to speak about sign language . After that, I can say he made me completely change my mind about it.' Moving abroad Kanaye said to give her children the opportunity to further their education, she decided to pursue her Master's degree in the US. 'My husband and I wanted to make sure they had every opportunity to enable them to become independent. We were not going to let anything hold them back, and that meant also furthering their education. However, at the time there were no tertiary institutions for the deaf in South Africa. 'It so happened that the principal and a teacher at the school had gone to the US to attend Gallaudet University in Washington DC – which is the world's leading institution for the deaf and hard of hearing. We decided to visit the university to see if it would be suitable, and it was. 'In 1994, I applied to study at the university to do a Master's degree in advanced deaf education. Prior to this, I had completed a diploma in special education, and a degree in English and psychology, both through Unisa. 'I also applied for Divashya to be enrolled in the pre-college programme, and for Sharvedh to complete his high school – which was also offered on the university's campus. This would give them the opportunity to thereafter study at the university,' she said. Kanaye said after completing the degree, she taught English to foreign deaf students at the university. 'I needed to stay another year as my son needed to still complete his final year of high school. 'At the time, he was my dependant, and would have to return to South Africa with me if I left. So I worked for that year.' Kanaye said she returned to South Africa while her children completed their degrees at the university. Divashya completed a BSc in accounting and she graduated magna cum laude. She is currently a professional accountant. Sharvedh completed a BSc in economics and science. He currently lives in the US and works as an analyst in a department of the federal government. 'In those early days, I cried over my children's future. I never thought that today, my heart would be filled with so much happiness. 'As a mother, the greatest joy is seeing your children happy and successful. It also shows that nothing is impossible or unachievable when you remain determined.' Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Advertisement Next Stay Close ✕ Kanaye (far right), with her son, Sharvedh, late husband, Krishna, and daughter, Divashya. Image: Supplied
Telegraph
10-03-2025
- Telegraph
The residential neighbourhoods where tourists are ruining everyday life
I was 11 when my South African-born dad first took me for bobotie in Cape Town's Bo Kaap district. He had a craving for the sweetish Cape Malay alternative to shepherd's pie that he'd adored in childhood, so we drove into the city centre (at that time, well off the tourist map) and bought two portions from a hole-in-the-wall takeaway. Then we sat in the car and devoured it greedily – and not a soul went past. It was 1990, the year that Nelson Mandela was released from prison, and the mood in the city was cautiously optimistic – but Bo Kaap was still one of only a handful of non-white neighbourhoods in the city centre. In 1957, it had been declared 'Malay-only' under the Group Areas Act, meaning that those descended from the Muslim slaves who'd arrived from Asia and settled in the neighbourhood just about held onto their homes and continued to forge a strong culture. Meanwhile, black residents of nearby District Six were evicted to the new townships of the Cape Flats, their own histories erased like their homes. Bo Kaap's residents are concerned that the recent influx of visitors aren't aware of its past. Three decades have passed since that bobotie excursion and the neighbourhood has become a bucket list destination for the social media savvy, who come to take pictures of its paintbox-shaded houses, arriving in tour buses that jam its narrow alleys and quickly leaving without spending money. 'Tourists create traffic challenges as we don't have dedicated walking spaces. They walk on the side of the road, or in the road depending on space,' says local resident and heritage activist Jacky Poking. 'Those in tour buses are off-loaded in the middle of the street, causing traffic jams and delays. Then buses park in the street, not parking bays, and wait there while tourists take pictures. Their vehicles are idling while they wait for the tourists to return, which can be 30 minutes later.' Meanwhile, prices are rising as second home owners move in, chipping away at a unique culture forged over centuries. 'As more and more people buy in Bo Kaap, our rates increase because they're based on the market value of your home. They see it as an investment to resell at a later date, not a home. But for residents, our investment in Bo Kaap is that it is home. We want to continue living here and raising our families.' Residents acknowledge that tourism could be good for the neighbourhood. The problem is that many fail to visit its museum or eat in its cafes and restaurants, meaning little of their money is spent locally. It's still possible to visit and be respectful: among the Airbnbs are homestays with local families, and there are still great places to eat bobotie too (try Biesmiellah on Lower Loop Street). Bo Kaap isn't the only residential area with a visitor problem. As overtourism becomes part of the everyday, it has begun to seep into local neighbourhoods across the world. From sleepy riverside suburbs to the swishest city streets, we take a look at some others below. Arashiyama, Kyoto By mid-morning, the quiet peace of this Kyoto suburb, whose river and mountains seem to have hopped from an ancient painting, is shattered. Snakes of tour bus tourists wind their way to the same points around town – Togetsukyo Bridge, the bamboo grove and monkey park – before buying souvenirs in the Miffy-themed bakery or Snoopy chocolate shop along the neighbourhood's main thoroughfare. Kyoto has an acknowledged problem with overtourism and inner city areas such as Gion are waging a well-publicised battle against inappropriate visitor behaviour and congestion. But here – where ancient houses quickly segue to the green and gold of empty forest – it can seem just as incongruous. Now, residents are concerned about over-crowded buses and trains, as well as how to contain the rubbish created by visitors according to English-language website News On Japan. Surprisingly though, just minutes away from Arashiyama's well-trodden tick-off points, you can mooch its spiralling streets and bamboo-encircled shrines in absolute peace. Leafy Saga Toriimoto Preserved Street winds its way upwards to Adashino Nenbutsu-ji temple, with traditional houses dotted between shops and restaurants and only a trickle of tourists. The city is trying to tempt more visitors to this lesser-trodden area. 'In November 2024, the GPS-linked digital map and Saga Arashiyama Tour Guide was released in both Japanese and English. It promotes the attractions of Saga by introducing recommended courses for sightseeing, displaying the locations of trash cans, toilets, bicycle share facilities and more, as well as introducing limited-time events,' said a spokesperson. Meanwhile, it seems that some local residents have embraced the new buzz of this once-sleepy suburb. Feedback to city officials revealed that 'the increase in tourists has led to an increase in cafes and other restaurants, which has contributed to the liveliness of the town.' Trastevere, Rome The shady streets of this working-class neighbourhood were off-the-tourist-radar a few decades ago, but a central location and plenty of charm have put them well and truly on the map. Now, the area is crammed with Airbnbs for tourists seeking a more 'authentic' experience – though authenticity is being lost as locals struggle to afford to live in their old stomping ground. Almost half have left over the last ten years according to The Times while a 2022 study by the Italian National Research Centre and others found that more than 10 per cent of housing in Rome's historic centre (including Trastevere) is now given over to Airbnb listings. These days, visitors cram the bars and restaurants of the area's piazzas while permanent residents complain about the noise and the rubbish they leave on the streets. Meanwhile, old shops have moved out, the victims of rapidly increasing rents. In their place, souvenir stores line the cobbles, making it hard to buy everyday items locally at competitive prices. It's become so bad that, in 2024, a band of anonymous activists glued the district's Airbnb key boxes shut in protest against rising rents and evictions. 'A home is a right, not a goose that lays golden eggs,' they said in a statement released at the time. 'Rents are rising and the number of people being evicted is sky high.' Dumbo, New York Thirty years ago, Dumbo was a grimy part of town in the shadow of the Manhattan Bridge, packed with neglected warehouses. But, since then, the neighbourhood has made a virtue of its position glancing towards the skyscrapers across the water: Washington Street is now a key stop-off for millions of Instagrammers keen to position themselves in front of the bridge and right at the centre of things. In 2024, a World Economic Forum report highlighted the problems of overtourism in the area, citing an increase in pedestrian accidents, traffic issues and small businesses struggling to stay afloat. Meanwhile, residents complain of tour bus traffic, street traders and plenty of rubbish during regular town hall meetings. In 2022, some of them sent a petition to their local councillor. 'We cannot understand why our quality of life has been sacrificed so that the Dumbo Bid [Business Improvement District] can attract more hordes of tourists to our home,' it said. 'This also deeply affects business owners, many of whom are afraid to speak out about not being able to get deliveries and having constant running smog from idling food trucks, not to mention zero dedicated space for parking for their businesses or residents.' Notting Hill, London The side streets of Notting Hill used to be quiet enclaves, a world away from the buzz of its main thoroughfares. Even in the midst of Boho Chic, when thousands of Sienna-alikes pounded the pavements of Portobello, the residential parts of the borough remained largely unwalked. But things are different now: the area's 'painted streets', full of neat rows of pastel terraces, have become a thing to Instagram – like Japan's Seven-Elevens and Paris's best croissants. Tourists can follow online trails past the pink house featured in Love Actually towards Boris Johnson's childhood home amid the candy-coloured terraces of Elgin Crescent. However, in 2020, the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea urged visitors to stay away from the former, with a spokesperson explaining it was 'stepping in to help protect the resident's privacy and encourage visitors to try out other famous locations in the borough.' But for other Notting Hill homeowners, a profusion of TikTok and Instagram-driven tourists underlines just how lucky they are. As the chairman of the residents' association of the sugared-almond Hillgate Village conservation area puts it, 'you have to look at the bigger perspective. It's better to live in an area like this than an area that has very different sorts of problems and that tourists wouldn't want to visit. I think we are very privileged'.
