In photos: meet Cape Town’s street photographers
We followed a group of street photographers who earn a living by capturing moments and portraits of people around Cape Town city centre and other suburbs. Photos: David Harrison Growing up in Malawi, 27-year-old Muhsin Mandale and his brother were interested in photography since they were young. They moved to Johannesburg with their mother in […]
We followed a group of street photographers who earn a living by capturing moments and portraits of people around Cape Town city centre and other suburbs. Photos: David Harrison
Growing up in Malawi, 27-year-old Muhsin Mandale and his brother were interested in photography since they were young. They moved to Johannesburg with their mother in 2015.
After matriculating, Mandale studied to become a homecare practitioner but ended up finding work as a petrol pump attendant at a local service station. There, he worked to buy his first camera in 2019.
“I loved photography. When I was very young, I would go to the studio with my brother where I saw the cameras and film. I became very interested and always wanted to do this work,” Mandale said.
Muhsin Mandale holds a client’s shopping bag while taking her portrait on the pavement of Wynberg Main Road, Cape Town.
Since moving to Cape Town, Mandale has joined a group of young photographers from Malawi, Mozambique and Zimbabwe who offer impromptu shoots to passers-by and tourists in Wynberg and Cape Town business districts.
The process involves taking a quick photo of a potential client in the crowd and using that image to convince them to do a quick portrait session. The client then views the photos from the shoot on a smartphone and pays R15 per photo.
Mandale told GroundUp that he continued working as a petrol attendant until he earned enough to work full-time as a street portrait photographer in 2021.
Mandale has joined a group of young photographers from Malawi, Mozambique and Zimbabwe who offer impromptu shoots to passers-by and tourists in Wynberg and Cape Town business districts.
Mandale also has an active social media account where he posts some of the portraits he has taken to advertise his work.
“I was photographing at Montecasino, Diepsloot Mall and at Cosmo City. This side [Cape Town] is much better than that side because people here enjoy the photos more than those in Johannesburg,” he said.
The photographers stop people in the streets of Cape Town to offer their services. After the shoot, the client chooses which photos to have printed or sent to them digitally.
Mandale lives with his brother and fellow photographer, Sulayman Adam, in a rented room in Grassy Park. They both catch a taxi to the Wynberg Main Road every day. Here they stand from 9am to 5pm hoping to get people passing by to stop and pay for a quick portrait shoot on the street.
“Business depends on the day and the people. On a day like today [Saturday], I can get up to R500. But sometimes you can stand for three days without making any money,” said Mandale.
The photographers say they have been harassed by local security who initially suspected them of using their work as a cover for illicit activity.
“They didn’t understand. They thought we were selling drugs, so we’ve been stopped and searched many times. Then we explained properly and they are saying we need a permit, but I don’t stand in just one place,” said Mandale.
One of the street portrait photographers counts his earnings for the day near the Cape Town train station.
Sulayman Adam, 25, from Malawi waits for a new client to photograph on the Wynberg Main Road.
Mike Ndlhaze, 28, originally from Mozambique, now lives in Mfuleni. He comes to the city centre every day with other Mozambican photographers.
Ndlhaze told GroundUp he knew people in Rustenburg in the North West who worked as street portrait photographers, and he decided to do the same in 2023.
Every month, he electronically transfers some of his earnings to support his wife and two young children who are still in Mozambique.
“In a good month, especially if we can get other work, like a wedding or a party, we can make up to R15,000 or R20,000. But sometimes people don’t want to pay for photos. We have to work hard. We are here every day, even Sundays. Many of us travel here from Mfuleni and Samora Machel,” he said.
Asked about challenges they faced working around the city, Ndlhaze said it was generally safe, despite the occasional security guard interactions over permits.
Mike Ndlhaze (left) crouches down to get the shot near the Cape Town train station. He told GroundUp he can earn up to R20,000 a month if he is able to get wedding or event work in addition to the street portrait photography he does all week in Cape Town.
Muhsin Mandale and Adam Sulayman complete a day of shooting on Wynberg Main Road by editing some of their photos outside their home in Grassy Park.
Muhsin Mandale (left) photographing two clients just off the Wynberg Main Road. The two ladies, who were on their way to church with their children, are regular clients.
These are some of the edited street portraits taken along Wynberg Main Road by Malawian-born photographer Muhsin Mandale. Photos:Muhsin Mandale
© 2026 GroundUp. This article is published under the GroundUp Republication Licence Version 1.0. Email [email protected] to request permission to republish.