Chaos Precinct: how traders from

A meticulously researched book reveals Jeppe as a dense and vibrant Ethiopian-led trading ecosystem - a

- Tanya Zack

Jeppe is a thriving cross-border trading hub in downtown Jozi powered by Ethiopian migrant entrepreneurs. Photos: Bridget Hilton-Barber

Dr Tanya Zack’s groundbreaking book The Chaos Precinct: Johannesburg as a Port City is a deep dive into the Ethiopian world in downtown Jozi.

Concentrated around Lilian Ngoyi (formerly Bree) and Rahima Moosa (formerly Jeppe) streets is a thriving cross-border trading hub powered by Ethiopian migrant entrepreneurs. The area is sometimes referred to as Little Addis, although that exoticises this booming makeshift hub, says Zack.

Municipal officials speak informally of the area as the Chaos Precinct, a place of fevered cross-border trade whose annual revenue is twice that of the largest South African shopping mall, Sandton City. Traders in the area simply call it by the hallmark road — Jeppe.

On a rainy Tuesday morning, we did a walkabout into the heart of Jeppe with informal guide and Ethiopian migrant Solomon Birhane, one of the people who helped Zack with her research. We met at the high court, which, with its blend of Edwardian and Art Deco, couldn't feel less Ethiopian.