Giving Back from Behind the Lens with Ajay Lalu

Wasafiri Africa Podcast · Apr 7, 2026 · 1h 10m

Sometimes known as Rylands Estate, Rylands is a well-established sub-area in Athlone, a suburb in Cape Town, located in the Cape Flats. Historically a hot bed of Anti-Apartheid protests, memorials include that of two ANC activists, Robert Waterwitch & Colleen Williams, who died in an explosion outside the Athlone court on 23 July 1989.

Although the Cape Flats has generally been depicted as existing on the 'fringe' of the city, the residents of Rylands have transformed their physical surroundings to build a thriving community.

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Ajay Lalu was born into a tight knit community which besides his…