“I happened upon his striking dwelling, named Morula City by the owner, when I was passing through the Makause informal settlement in Primrose. I stopped to take a photo when the man on the roof of the triple storey shouted down to me to come up for a better look,” says photographer Neil McCartney.
“I was guided to a set of stairs that were dramatically sturdier than they looked and I made my way to the top. Here I met the man who over the past years made his home into an impromptu artwork to express himself and his faith. It was obvious Johannes was very proud of his handiwork, as he guided me around. He described his plans to install a bath and referred me to a recreation area on the second floor, which he calls ‘Morula Park’.
“I was shown ‘Sun City’, an area where he displays various knickknacks collected over the years. I also met Lillian, his wife, who was obviously shy. But when asked if I could put her in a photo, she reappeared with a red hat and colourful dress on. Obviously, she was also very house-proud.”
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