Johannesburg – In this Saturday Star photography series, Dr Cahi Takes Joburg, we feature the work of acclaimed Johannesburg dentist Dr Norman Cahi.
Affectionately known as the “dentist to the stars,” Cahi has a quest for learning, a thirst for knowledge, and a deep interest in his roots and the history of his past.
In a continuation of the series, “Cahi travels to Fietas”, which is made up of the suburbs of Pageview and Vrededorp.
Once a thriving community and home to several thousands of Coloureds, Malays, Indians and whites in the decades before the 1970s, the area near the Joburg CBD has descended into an urban slum.
Dr Cahi’s images depict this degradation of the region between Braamfontein and Brixton.
His pictures show how the structures of the old homes, despite their strong foundations, are slowly collapsing as its once colourful exterior peels away.
Residents have to dodge litter and other debris as they navigate the once acclaimed inner city suburb. This is juxtaposed by families seen navigating daily life, and religious sites in the same vicinity of powerful expressions of graffiti. There is colour at every corner as well as loud political and religious statements displayed in the residential area.
Cahi’s passion for photography comes from his passion to capture moments in time. This journey has taken him on a journey across colourful Joburg which he shares with his hundreds of friends and followers on social media each week.
Cahi has dedicated his life to oral healthcare for 40 years and is one of the pioneers for teeth whitening and cosmetic dentistry in South Africa. Together with his daughter Chelsea, and prosthodontist brother, Emile, run the Cahi Dental & Prosthodontic Practice in Parktown North.
Most notably, the family has been working with the Miss SA Foundation for about seven years, after they were approached by beauty queen Claudia Henkel, who held the title in 2004 and has worked for the organisation to provide dental care to the finalists.
His job as a dentist is to make people smile, literally, but it is his love for photographing art, architecture and the beauty of Joburg, which he hopes will evoke a sense of nostalgia.
“I see and appreciate the beauty in everything – in nature and our environment. I admire art, architecture and getting a sense of the spirit of the community. But I feel sad and helpless when I see the homeless and hopeless. I am deeply moved when I see the poor, the downtrodden and the marginalised of our society.”