Into The Shadows: Inside Johannesburg's Underworld (Crime Documentary) | Real Stories

Each day thousands of forced migrants flood into Johannesburg in search of a better life. Many have risked their lives to cross South Africa’s borders, and in their desperation resort to the only accommodation they can afford: the slum buildings of the inner city of Johannesburg. The slum buildings are vertical squatter camps – far more dangerous, far more overcrowded, where the fight for survival is brutal and unrelenting. Many of the buildings are hijacked; some are run by slumlords that demand rent from tenants, despite the fact that there is no water or electricity in the buildings. Many of those who cross South Africa’s borders enter the country illegally, carrying the little they own, and often without any form of documentation. They fear deportation and police brutality, and many speak of corrupt home-affairs officials to whom they must pay bribes to apply for asylum or refugee status. They therefore choose to become “invisible”, and are vulnerable to abuse, violence and discrimination.

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Produced by Altamar

[andilecele]

Pastor Verryn is one of the Best Human beings my family and I have ever known. In the darkest times he was there for our family, and we wish him and the greater Central Methodist Family, the best in their endeavour to forge hope in the hearts and minds of the lost. Thank You Father.

[biggyngwenya]

I left Zimbabwe 21 years ago and never looked back. I'm living a safe and happy life in the USA.

[bonginkosiemanuel]

As an African south frican, I extremely apologise to our African brothers. Corruption in South Africa is a plague to us all. I apologise that our country has failed to receive you in a manner that upholds and protects you as a human being. Life for many south Africans despite the image potreyed in the is very hard. People go through the same struggles hence the increase of crime in this country and the drugs too. For alot of people Apartheid did not end, the system is still structured for a an African man to fail. Resistance will only be possible through unity. South Africa alone can not can not fix the issues in Africa.

[anthonymindel]

South Africa is a land of extreme contrast, from such natural beauty and wealth on one hand, to such hardships on the other

[Refilwe_Fifi]

I expected a documentary that would tackle the issue from all angles. We have many successful Zimbabweans in South Africa and we also have many Zimbabweans who have turned to a life of crime and are causing havoc in the City of Joburg.
The migrant issue impacts migrants and locals alike. One-sided approaches won't help viewers fully understand this subject matter.

[juanj]

perhaps the best quote on youtube @44:00 Paul Veryn "I can be violent with you, but not touch you. I can in actual fact kill you, completely, then force you to carry on living your life.". Oh God,

[MarjorieNardini]

Love how this doc was filmed, formatted and narrated. Educational and entertaining..Kudos

[RadiantReveries]

I am a Namibian and we do have Zimbabwean in Namibia but we don't discriminate or beat them. They are human beings like us and they are accepted in the society like any individual. South Africans stop being racist because you don't know about tomorrow.

[yohanme]

The Paster is an amazing human with an intelligent mind, the words he use to explain the suffering of the Zimbabweans.. I hope the suffering will end soon..why we people are so evil and do a lot of harm to others..

[maburwanejohannes]

These guys are just humble, polite and respectful. All I can say as a South African is that when you are a foreigner you are just at the mercy of the police and the locals, I'm saying this because I have also been a foreigner. One thing that worsens the situations for all foreigners is when one of them commits a crime, we all know what happens next, they are all punished and given that job opportunities for foreigners are very low, crime is just around the corner.

But on a broader view, I blame the decisions taken by Zimbabwe, the influx of foreigners in our country is too much, we are also not doing well, and when they come to compete with the locals its obvious that that the locals will be given preference. I also think that those home affairs administrators took advantage of them simply because they are foreigners, they rarely ever ask for bribes from South Africans. The sanctions imposed to Zimbabwe by the US and its affiliates really did harm to Zimbabweans.

[makemarker]

Even animals that are eaten by other animals have a better life until they die. In the end, they die relatively quickly and their death has no malice. This dying on the inside brought upon by other humans is so sad.

[hoodrobin]

I'll rather be in South Africa than Zimbabwe no doubt.

[mpumesibiya]

People need to understand that we as South Africans are barely surviving in our own land. We are still recovering from Apartheid! We have nothing to offer, we are still struggling ourselves and that is the TRUTH!

[sonofdurin]

I’ve had the pleasure to meet many Zimbabweans and I must say that they’re amongst the finest people I’ve ever come across during my travels.

My prayers to the Zimbabwean people and praying that their country finds itself on the road to stability and prosperity.

[deronjenkins]

Pray for Africa. Never lose hope, Africa will rise again.

[deeraines]

Illegal immingration is a world wide issue. This story simply breaks my heart.

[magdalenechristie]

As a South African i want to apologize. Though it is not goingbto help a thing. Ive been crying throughout this documentary. I once saw a photo of a Zimbabwian guy fleeing with his dog. While hiking, holding it in his arms. I do animal welfare, it really touched me

[geniusntlathi]

Theres so many dynamics to this, joburg is over crowded, south africa has nine provices but most foreigners seek assylum in jhb and pretoria, this creates problems for south africans in the cbd's.

[mdumaphumulo]

It is so funny how Zimbabweans complain about conditions of South Africa, Shona people killed a lot of Ndebele (descendents of Mzilikazi) in Zimbabwe during gukurahundi.

[jacquesdewet]

May the Almighty Creator protect the poor and vulnerable.
To see the look on those men's faces when they spoke of their children is heart breaking.