Some of the tweets discussing Alon Skuy's photograph from users @LanC_02, @gussilber, @BIZKID_WORLD and @LeMondZuid
A photo [1] taken on January 26, 2016, outside the High Court in Johannesburg, South Africa, has drawn attention to income inequality in post-apartheid South Africa.
The shot, taken by Alon Skuy, a South Africa photographer working for South African newspaper, The Times, shows a controversial [2] South African radio personality Gareth Cliff with his lawyer, Dali Mpofu, walking near a man who seems to be digging through rubbish.
Gareth Cliff [3] ignited Twitter storm recently after he gave his opinion on Twitter about a racist comment [4] made by estate agent Penny Sparrow calling black South African beach-goers ‘monkeys’. Reacting to Sparrow's offensive comment, Cliff said, “people don’t understand free speech at all”.
Following the storm, Cliff was removed [5] from the judging panel for the televised singing contest South African Idols [6]. He successfully [7]challenged his removal in court where the judge argued that the case was about contracts and not racism or free speech.
Cliff, a white South African, was represented in court by Dali Mpofu, a black South African. Mpofu is the chairman of the Economic Freedom Fighters [8], a militant pro-black socialist party in South Africa.
The photo in question, which has been shared widely on social media, is considered by commenters the best visual representation of post-apartheid South Africa, where income inequality has worsened [9] since white minority rule ended in 1994. South Africa has one of the most unequal income distribution [10] patterns in the world.
#Inequality [11] always in the background & never the focus. It’s up to us to change this #SouthAfrica [12]
Photo by Alon Skuy pic.twitter.com/W61W7y9NPJ [13]
— Elle West (@elle_west_ct) January 29, 2016 [14]
South Africa… 🇿🇦
We have a looonnnggg way to go.
Thank You Alon Skuy. pic.twitter.com/uvdXv4EVbo [15]
— #YMS∞ (@BIZKID_WORLD) January 29, 2016 [16]
That pic by Alon Skuy:A summary of Post-Apartheid SA.
— Zimbali Mncube (@Zimbali_Mncube) January 29, 2016 [17]
On Twitter, one use asked, making reference to Cliff's lawyer's party, the Economic Freedom Fighters:
Whose economic freedom is it, anyway? The powerful photograph shot by Alon Skuy https://t.co/1w4C91DJTe [18] pic.twitter.com/WevL3YXi4H [19] RT
— Internet Activist ZA (@TupacZA) January 29, 2016 [20]
Shabtai Gold noted that the photo was not staged:
Truly brilliant image from South Africa. not staged. By Alon Skuy https://t.co/z5GRxPZne1 [21]
— Shabtai Gold (@velvetart) January 29, 2016 [22]
While @fullframeSA praised the shot:
Alon Skuy picture for @SowetanLIVE [23] of Gareth Cliff and Dali Mpofu is photojournalism at its best pic.twitter.com/XStA0n9Tk2 [24]
— Fullframepictures_ (@fullframeSA) January 29, 2016 [25]
The photo has prompted some to search for more photos by Skuy:
Currently on google checking out Alon Skuy's work.
— Summer Reign (@Khuthii) January 29, 2016 [26]