Skhothane (plural: Izikhothane; from the Zulu word ukukhothana, meaning "to lick," or in urban slang, "to boast") is a prominent youth subculture and performance style that emerged in the townships of the Gauteng province, South Africa, around the mid-2000s.[1] It is defined by its practice of destructive conspicuous consumption, where young members of organized crews compete in battles to demonstrate wealth, style, and status through the excessive purchase and, ultimately, the ritualistic destruction of expensive, often designer, material goods.[2][3]
Skhothane is interpreted as a reaction against the socio-economic adversity and historical dehumanization stemming from the apartheid era.[1] By performing extreme wastefulness—often despite coming from impoverished backgrounds—the Skhothane assert their existence and demand recognition in a society marked by stark inequality.[1] The subculture is built around the ethos of "Look at me; I can afford this," transforming high-priced items from objects of aspiration into disposable tools for gaining respect and "instant celebrity" within the township.[3][2]
History[]
Skhothane first appeared around 2005 in the townships of Ekurhuleni (East Rand), specifically areas like Katlehong and Tembisa, before spreading throughout South Africa.[1] The movement has deep roots in earlier South African sartorial subcultures that utilized expensive clothing as a means of self-assertion against marginalization, notably the Diamondfield Dandies of the 1880s and the Swenkas of the 1950s.[1]
The subculture evolved from South African versions of dance battles popular among urban youth. Its later, controversial form, centered on material destruction, quickly gained traction, culminating in major competitive events such as the 2012 East Rand vs. West Rand battle in Soweto's Rockville suburb.[3] The movement gained significant international notoriety and intense media coverage, which subsequently amplified the more extreme rituals of destruction, leading to both a surge in popularity and intense community criticism and police intervention.[3] By the mid-2010s, police clampdowns and community backlash contributed to a divergence of the subculture, leading some crews, like the Tarianas (slang for "Italians"), to abandon destructive practices while maintaining the focus on expensive fashion and dance.[3]
Visuals and Fashion[]
The Skhothane aesthetic is characterized by maximalist dressing and a highly visible display of designer brands with exaggerated price tags.[1] Thepurpose of the appearance is to project an image of wealth, often by combining brands in clashing combinations and then showing disrespect for their cost.
The appearance is heavily focused on designer footwear, with specific imported Italian brands like Carvela (costing at least R2,000) and Rossimoda being highly favored. These shoes, along with specific expensive garments such as silk shirts, DMD jackets, and designer suits are often purposely mixed and clashed with other brands like Lacoste, Polo, Versace, and Diesel in a single outfit. This deliberate aesthetic choice aims to demonstrate such an abundance of disposable income that conventional fashion rules and brand loyalty become irrelevant to the wearer.
Culture[]
The central practice of Skhothane is the "battle" or competitive gathering, which often culminates in the symbolic and literal destruction of material possessions, a performance viewed as a philosophical statement rather than simple wastefulness.
Crews organize themselves for these battles, which typically occur on weekends in local parks and involve dance-offs and public displays of extravagance. The ritualized destruction performed during these events serves as the ultimate display of wealth and can include tearing, burning, or stomping on expensive designer shirts and shoes. Additionally, costly consumables are spoiled; Skhothane members are known for throwing away expensive junk food like KFC or Debonair's Pizza, or using expensive alcohol, such as Johnnie Walker Blue Label whisky, to wash their hands or pour onto the ground. The most extreme acts involve burning actual cash in front of competitors to assert that money holds no meaning to the winner of the battle. Winning these competitions awards the victor with fame and respect from peers, while the loser may be publicly humiliated with expensive alcohol or custard.
Philosophy[]
Despite the subculture's emphasis on immense wealth, the majority of Skhothane members are youth originating from impoverished homes in townships. Their families often rely on low-wage jobs, making the funds required for the aesthetic and destructive practices difficult to obtain.
The underlying philosophy is one of a "culture of urgency" characterized by an anti-saving mentality which posits that "there is no future and no roots but only the present." This encourages hyper-consumption of the moment, standing in direct opposition to traditional financial planning.[2] To fund their expensive habits, members have been documented to engage in various activities, including obtaining loose weekend jobs, petty crime (such as mugging and burglary), and, controversially, blackmailing their own parents by threatening self-harm or suicide to secure money for battle-related items.
Academically, the practice is interpreted as a necessary act of rehumanization and resistance. By openly and visibly defying the constraints of their poverty-stricken backgrounds, Izikhothane utilize extravagant consumption to challenge the structural inequalities and systemic invisibility imposed upon them by the post-apartheid economy, thereby asserting their identity and demanding recognition.
Gallery[]
References[]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 "Izikhothane: a deeper history of a South African youth subculture where luxury items are trashed on" theconversation.com
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 "The Socio-Economic and Cultural Implications of Skhothane on Youth’s (Under)Development at Ekurhuleni’s Township(s) of South Africa" on Commonwealth Youth and Development
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 "Exploring the Demise of Skhothane, the Controversial Subculture Destroyed by the Media" on vice.com
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