Documentary: Jan Bloed
The producers of the documentary film Jan Bloed, Gerrie Janse van Vuuren and Nicolaas Viljoen, take viewers through the streets of Westbury in Johannesburg to revisit Alister Fortuin’s time as a member of the Fast Guns and Varados gangs. After 22 years behind bars, the former gang leader developed a sincere relationship with God, and is now a pastor in Westbury, on a mission to help free the community from the claws of crime.
Gerrie and Nicolaas explain how Jan Bloed’s story came to their attention and why they turned it into a documentary.
Viewers are familiar with several movies and stories about gangs in South Africa, but what makes Jan Bloed different? Why was it important to tell this story?
The story is very personal and focuses on one person’s journey from being a gang leader to becoming a pastor. That is what makes this story so different. It is not just another story of how cruel and rotten gangs are, it is the story of how Alister found himself in a very dark place and received a calling to use his tale as the “Moses of Westbury” to bring about change. For us, it is important to tell his story, because we can use it to make a difference in a community like Westbury.
When stories about gangs are told, the spotlight usually falls on the Cape Flats. Why did you decide to focus on gangs in Johannesburg, specifically in Westbury?
That is exactly why we decided on this area – because so much has already been done about the Cape Flats. We live in Johannesburg and Westbury is just around the corner from us. Any efforts to make a difference, must be started in the places near you.
Alister, or Jan Bloed as he is called, is very honest about his former life and the crimes he committed. Was it difficult to persuade him to open up about his past?
Overall, it was not difficult, but there were times when he came across as vulnerable. Then he wasn’t too keen to share a lot of detail. Of course, on other occasions we were startled about what he told us, and we realised how far these guys were prepared to go.
Did you ever feel intimidated while walking the streets of Westbury? How did you approach filming there?
Yes, definitely! We always had security with us, and they were constantly aware of what was happening in Westbury. When the situation seemed dangerous, we immediately withdrew our entire team, or we simply rescheduled shooting. We regard ourselves lucky to be able to have done the filming there, because we live in Joburg ourselves.
How did you meet Jan Bloed and why did his story grab your attention?
We were doing research for another project and were moving around in the Westbury area. While we were having a conversation about Westbury’s gangs with one of our contacts, the story of Jan Bloed came up. The timing was also perfect, because our police contact bumped into him shortly after and informed us. We went for a coffee together and, as they say, the rest is history.
What did you find most disturbing during the filming? And what do you think will shock viewers?
How easy it is for some of these guys to take a life. How blood-thirsty they can be, especially the new generation. Viewers will be shocked to hear how young some of the guys are when they join a gang for the first time, as was the case with Alister.