Johannesburg, South Africa – A new book by urban planner and writer Tanya Zack, titled The Chaos Precinct: Johannesburg as a port city, offers an eye-opening journey into one of downtown Johannesburg’s most dynamic informal districts. Published by Jacana Media in August 2025, Zack’s work presents a “compelling, brave – at times, lyrical – narrative” of how migrant Ethiopian traders have transformed an overlooked pocket of the inner city into a thriving commercial hub[1]. Now available through Jacana’s website and bookstores, the book is garnering acclaim for its insightful blend of research and storytelling – and it comes as a must-read for architects and urbanists interested in the future of African cities.
A Lyrical Chronicle of an Informal Trading Hub
Zack’s latest book masterfully weaves together urban research, personal narrative and on-the-ground stories of the many people who inhabit what locals simply call “Jeppe”[2]. In doing so, The Chaos Precinct not only captures the reality of Johannesburg today, but also points to the possibilities of what it could become[2]. The author’s prose is vivid and immersive – the opening pages describe how “‘Jeppe’ has moods… oppressively sullen on days when the roller shutters are down… But at month’s end… then Jeppe is Africa’s shopping mecca”[3]. Through such evocative scenes, Zack paints a portrait of a district pulsing with entrepreneurial energy, yet tempered by stark challenges.
Importantly, the book situates this single district as a microcosm of transnational urbanism. “Jeppe” – also known as Little Addis or the Ethiopian Quarter – is a dense cluster of wholesale shops and street stalls in Johannesburg’s CBD, roughly bounded by Plein, Troye, Pritchard and Von Brandis Streets[4]. Remarkably, this “booming makeshift shopping hub… emerged without any formal planning intention or support”, according to Zack[5]. City officials unofficially dubbed it the “Chaos Precinct” for its frenetic atmosphere, while traders prefer the name of its main artery, Jeppe Street[5]. By any name, the area is an economic powerhouse: research cited in the book shows that the annual revenue generated here is about twice that of Sandton City, Africa’s wealthiest shopping mall[6][7]. In effect, an informal collection of mini-markets and converted office buildings outperforms the continent’s glitziest formal retail center – a fact sure to intrigue urban development professionals.
Johannesburg as an “Inland Port”
A bustling mini-shop in Johannesburg’s so-called “Chaos Precinct,” where narrow, cupboard-sized stalls overflow with fashion accessories, cosmetics and bags – part of an informal retail economy serving shoppers from across Southern Africa.
In The Chaos Precinct, Zack argues that this inner-city district functions as an inland port, channelling goods and commerce across borders much like a coastal trade city. Local and cross-border traders from countries like Botswana, Malawi, Mozambique, Zambia and Zimbabwe pour into “Jeppe” to buy everything from shoes and clothing to wallets, belts and cosmetics[8]. “Though situated on the dry Highveld, Jeppe is an entrepôt which bears a close resemblance to major port cities,” Zack observes, underlining the book’s central premise[8]. Goods flow in from global factories (often via China) and flow out on buses and taxis to markets across Africa – effectively making downtown Johannesburg a logistical hub for Southern Africa’s informal economy.
Zack’s long-term study reveals how the area evolved in a counterintuitive way. In the late 1990s, Ethiopian migrants began setting up shops in disused office buildings, carving out maze-like micro-malls inside formerly grand edifices[9][10]. Landlords, lured by “key money” offers, punched doorways into old structures to create arcades of tiny street-facing shops, a stark departure from the big-box retail typical of Johannesburg’s past[10]. The city had never seen the like – tiny shops fronting onto the street in the style common in Asian market towns. It taunted monopoly-capital retail, which had cornered the clothing market for so long, Zack notes in the book[10]. What emerged is a dense warren of stalls and wholesale outlets – hundreds of them packed along Jeppe and Delvers Streets – that function collectively as a massive open-air marketplace. This organic reconfiguration of urban space, happening largely outside official planning channels, provides architects and planners with a fascinating case study in spontaneous, adaptive reuse and informal design.
Fifteen Years in the Making
The project that became The Chaos Precinct began in 2009, when Tanya Zack was consulting for the Johannesburg Development Agency on inner-city development plans[11]. Walking the very streets she had frequented as a child, Zack was struck by the reality she encountered in Jeppe. “It became clear that Jeppe confounded the usual statements that Joburg’s city centre was deteriorating,” she says[11]. Yes, the buildings were overcrowded and municipal services strained – but the area was bursting with retail activity, something very different from urban decay. “What I was seeing in Jeppe was complex, counterintuitive… this was retail – retail in mind-bending quantities and conducted at unconscionable speed,” Zack recalls[12]. That realization prompted her to dig deeper into the phenomenon.
Over the next 15 years, Zack became a familiar face in the district, returning repeatedly well beyond her initial contract[13]. Accompanied by her research assistant and interpreter, Solomon Birhane, she ventured into crowded tenements, storage basements and impromptu rooftop cafes, interviewing countless shop owners, workers, and customers. She traced the routes of goods from wholesalers in Asia to street vendors in South Africa, and followed personal journeys of migration from the Horn of Africa to the City of Gold[14][15]. The resulting book is as much an ethnography of urban hustle as it is an economic case study – a rich narrative built on years of trust-building and observation. Zack writes of having coffee in stairwells with Orthodox priests, sharing meals with traders, and witnessing the daily “ins and outs” of commerce in the precinct[16]. Through compassionate eyes, she “bears witness to both the joys and terrors” that migrants experience in their pursuit of a better life in Johannesburg[17].
Emergence, Not Emergency: Rethinking Urban Informality
One of the book’s most powerful takeaways is a call to rethink how city authorities and built-environment professionals view informal urban developments. Despite Jeppe’s astounding economic output, authorities have often responded with unease or crackdowns – treating the area as a problem to be fixed. Zack urges a different perspective. “It is confounding that, as an area, it is not only overlooked by state officials and planners, but often problematised,” she notes, questioning why such a vibrant hub is seen merely as chaos[18]. “There must, I believed, be another logic, another way of looking, that would see improvisation and small-scale innovation as progressive – as emergence rather than emergency,” Zack writes[19]. In other words, what if cities embraced the creativity and “small-scale innovation” in places like Jeppe instead of trying to shut it down?
Zack’s research highlights that Johannesburg’s future as a “world-class African city” may hinge on acknowledging its inland port function. “[Jeppe] is in fact what makes Johannesburg a world-class African city,” she argues. “It demonstrates what economic value Johannesburg could extract if it embraced its function as an inland port, servicing Southern Africa… supporting its productive functions rather than wholesale criminalising them.”[20] This is a provocative challenge to planners and architects: rather than viewing informal districts as blight, consider them vital infrastructure for the city’s economy and livelihood. Indeed, The Chaos Precinct documents how Jeppe connects Johannesburg to a vast network stretching from Guangzhou to Addis Ababa, illustrating a form of globalisation from below[15]. For readers in architecture and urban development, Zack’s work provides a compelling case study of how design, policy, and economics intersect in the real world of African cities.
Human Stories and Urban Realities
While The Chaos Precinct offers plenty of data and urban analysis, it is ultimately the human stories that leave the deepest impression. Zack’s narrative is deeply personal – she interweaves her own memories of Johannesburg with the voices of the traders, migrants and entrepreneurs she meets[21]. Each character’s story adds a layer of insight into the precinct: their dreams, hardships, and ingenuity collectively shape this urban ecosystem. Crucially, the book does not shy away from the darker side of life in Jeppe. As the Sunday Times review notes, Zack empathetically depicts “the plight – and perseverance – of migrant Ethiopians” who have built lives and businesses here[22]. Chapters recount episodes of police raids and evictions (such as the infamous “Operation Clean Sweep” clearance of street vendors[23]), the risks of crime and fire in overcrowded buildings, and the constant pressures of xenophobia and legal uncertainty[24]. Yet, alongside the struggles, there is genuine resilience and hope – the perseverance that has seen this community thrive against the odds[22].
The book is also visually rich. As in her acclaimed 2022 title Wake Up, This is Joburg, Tanya Zack collaborated with Johannesburg-based photographer Mark Lewis, whose striking images accompany the text[25]. Lewis’s photographs – real, raw, and thought-provoking – bring the streets of Jeppe to life on the page[25]. Readers are treated to scenes of crowded sidewalks lined with mannequin displays, porters pushing trolleys laden with merchandise, and the kaleidoscopic textures of market life. These visuals complement Zack’s writing, together forming a powerful urban chronicle. For architects and designers, the imagery offers an unvarnished look at informal spatial design: ad-hoc shopfronts, repurposed high-rises teeming with small businesses, and sidewalks transformed into bustling bazaars. It’s a reminder that great cities are shaped not only by formal projects, but also by countless informal interventions of ordinary people.
About the Author
Dr. Tanya Zack brings a formidable background to this work. A South African urban planner with over 25 years of experience, she specializes in urban policy, regeneration, informality and sustainable development[26]. Zack holds a PhD in Town and Regional Planning, and has served as an advisor and consultant on development projects locally and abroad[26]. Many of her initiatives in Johannesburg’s inner city have influenced municipal strategy and are regarded as groundbreaking interventions[26]. Alongside her planning practice, Zack has built a reputation as a storyteller of Johannesburg’s urban fabric. She is the author of Wake Up, This Is Joburg, an acclaimed series of photo-books created with photographer Mark Lewis, which chronicled ten vivid tales of life in the city’s margins[27]. With The Chaos Precinct: Johannesburg as a port city, Zack continues this mission of documenting the unseen city. Her dual perspective as both an academic planner and a compassionate observer allows her to translate complex urban phenomena into accessible, human-centred narratives.
An Essential Read for Architects and Urbanists
In a time when African cities are rapidly evolving, The Chaos Precinct stands out as a timely and exceptional book that challenges readers to rethink urban possibilities. For architects, urban planners and anyone invested in the future of cities, Zack’s work offers an invaluable lesson in observing and learning from informal development. It demonstrates how innovation often sprouts from the margins – in crowded blocks and “hidden” economies that mainstream planning may overlook. The book has been met with enthusiastic reviews, with one calling it “an enthralling, insightful” account that provides a new understanding of Johannesburg’s Ethiopian Quarter[28]. By combining factual reportage with heartfelt storytelling, The Chaos Precinct makes a compelling case that the chaos of informal cities is not to be feared, but understood and even embraced.
Architects across Africa are strongly encouraged to get a copy of this book – not only to support Zack’s important work, but to gain inspiration for approaching urban challenges in their own contexts. The Chaos Precinct: Johannesburg as a port city is available now from Jacana Media[29], and promises to spark meaningful dialogue about how we design, govern, and imagine the continent’s urban future. In the words of Tanya Zack herself, “Joburg has always been a destination city for migrants… told in stories of waves of so many who headed south, fleeing conflict or poverty, journeying towards hope.”[30] This book captures those journeys – and in doing so, illuminates a path forward for inclusive and vibrant cities in Africa.
Sources:
• Jacana Media – The Chaos Precinct (book description)[31][32][8]
• Johannesburg Review of Books – Excerpt and author bio[26][1]
• In Your Pocket – Johannesburg – Book review by James Bainbridge (21 Aug 2025)[2][11][33][34][20]
• Sunday Times (Times Live) – Book review by Mila de Villiers (31 Aug 2025)[22][25]
[1] [4] [5] [6] [8] [9] [10] [26] [27] [31] [32] ‘They say there is a bad spirit here.’—Read an excerpt from The Chaos Precinct: Johannesburg as a Port City by Tanya Zack – The Johannesburg Review of Books
https://johannesburgreviewofbooks.com/2025/08/13/they-say-there-is-a-bad-spirit-here-read-an-excerpt-from-the-chaos-precinct-johannesburg-as-a-port-city-by-tanya-zack/
[2] [3] [7] [11] [12] [13] [14] [15] [16] [17] [18] [19] [20] [21] [24] [30] [33] [34] Book review: ‘The Chaos Precinct’ by Tanya Zack
https://www.inyourpocket.com/johannesburg/book-review-the-chaos-precinct-by-tanya-zack_80791f
[22] [23] [25] Tanya Zack’s ‘The Chaos Precinct’ review: An enthralling insight into Joburg’s Ethiopian Quarter
https://www.sundaytimes.timeslive.co.za/sunday-times/books/non-fiction/2025-08-31-tanya-zacks-the-chaos-precinct-review-an-enthralling-insight-into-joburgs-ethiopian-quarter/
[28] Mila de Villiers – Sunday Times
https://www.sundaytimes.timeslive.co.za/author/mila-de-villiers/
[29] The Chaos Precinct: Johannesburg as a port city – Jacana
https://jacana.co.za/product/the-chaos-precinct-johannesburg-as-a-port-city/