«Converting Eviction» (working title) is a project between South African dancer, choreographer and performance artist Sello Pesa and German/Swiss artist Tim Zulauf from KMUProduktionen. The project involves people from both South Africa and Switzerland, engaging Humphrey Maleka (SA) and MoMo Matsunyane (SA), Vivien Bullert (DE/CH) and Christoph Rath (AU/CH) as performers, as well as musician Tracy September (SA/CH) and Sandi MX Blouse (SA).

«Converting Eviction» takes the form of a theatrical installation. It is an ongoing research-process that has a close look into South Africa’s dense and extraordinary struggles with decolonisation. The project deals with the history of property, belonging and the agency to create meaningful lives within dysfunctional structures. It looks back into the ways that countries such as Switzerland, Germany, Luxemburg and France profited from dealing with the Apartheid regime, and how the structures from these former economic relations perpetuate today.

The texts have been conceptualised by Lindiwe Mathikiza (SA), Tim Zulauf (CH/DE) and Zamo Mkhwanazi (SA/CH) inspired by additional research from Hennie van Vuuren and the team of Open Secrets (SA), KEESA/ADR – Apartheid Debt and Reparations Campaign, Basel (CH) and the Khulumani Support Group (SA).

The work is coproduced with The Centre for the Less Good Idea (Johannesburg), Gessnerallee Zürich (CH), Kaserne Basel (CH), Dampfzentrale and Schlachthaus, Bern (CH) and supported by Stadt Zürich Kultur, Fachstelle Kultur Kanton Zürich, Fachausschuss Theater&Tanz BS/BL, Ernst Göhner Foundation, Migros-Kulturprozent

First stage: JHB May 2019, supported by Pro Helvetia Johannesburg and incubated at The Centre for the Less Good Idea

Performance: Centre For the Less Good Idea - For Once May 2019.

Second stage: Johannesburg

Performances: Uncle Tom’s, Soweto - November 2019
Wits Theatre, JHB - November 2019
State Theatre, Pretoria - December 2019

Third stage: SWitzerland

Performances: Gesnnerallee Zürich - January 2020
Kaserne Basel - January 2020
Dampfzentrale Bern - February 2020