The Southern African Plastic Pipe Manufacturers Association (SAPPMA) has announced the winners in their photography competition which was launched earlier this year in association with 3S Media.

The competition was open to all photographers – regardless of skill and expertise levels – to interpret the theme, “The Value and Role of Plastic Pipes in South Africa”.

Jan Venter, CEO of SAPPMA, reports that although they had a large number of enquiries from members of the general public who were interested in entering the competition, COVID restrictions enforced at factories prohibited general members of the public to gain access to sites in order for them to take their photographs.

“Of course, most of the plastic pipes are also buried beneath the ground. This also made it difficult for budding photographers who do not readily have access to production sites, to take photos of plastic pipes,” Jan reported.

The entries were judged on visual impact, relevance to the industry and basic photographic standards such as composition, lighting, and focus. The following two photos were selected as winners: 

Sediye Machaba: Human Interest Category

Sediye is a Civil Engineer at Aphane Consulting Engineers, where he forms part of a team that provides sustainable development to communities. “At times we have seen neighbourhoods literally being born from the dust as we take vacant land and add pipeline and road infrastructure to make it habitable for the less fortunate,” Sediye says.

He managed to capture one such an occasion on camera recently while visiting an informal settlement in Daveyton, Pretoria, where there is no formalised water infrastructure. Sediye spotted local boys playing with the plastic pipes and asked them whether they knew where the water came from. One of them enthusiastically replied, “We buy it!”.

This left Sediye touched by how much work still needs to be done to ensure that all residents of South Africa have access to clean drinking water and inspired the winning photograph entitled: “Like water, humans need to keep moving forward”.

Gabrielle Hobson: Artistic Category

Gabrielle Hobson won the artistic category with her photograph entitled, “PVC Feeds the Garden of Eden” taken at the Karoo Café in Lynnwood Road, Pretoria. Gabrielle is a keen swimmer and netball player, and also enjoys playing guitar, painting, drawing and taking photographs in her free time when she is not busy studying of walking her dogs.

“The photography competition afforded us the opportunity to celebrate the importance of plastic pipes in South Africa. Our sincere thanks to everybody who entered and congratulations to the winning entries!” Jan concluded.