Ihsaan Haffejee

Ihsaan Haffejee is a photojournalist and documentary filmmaker based in Johannesburg, South Africa. His work documents the social, political and cultural realities of contemporary South Africa, with a focus on the intersections between hard news and human-centred storytelling. He is particularly interested in environmental issues, subcultures and the arts.

Haffejee studied photojournalism and documentary photography at the Market Photo Workshop in Johannesburg. 

Over the course of his career, he has covered major national and international events, including the death of Nelson Mandela, the murder trial of former Paralympian Oscar Pistorius, the release of Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva from prison, and the work of South African doctors providing medical support during the Syrian civil war in 2013.

He is widely recognised for his long-standing contributions to GroundUp, a South African news agency reporting on social justice and human rights. His work has also been published internationally by Reuters, Agence France-Presse, The New York Times, Voice of America and Al Jazeera.

Haffejee is a member of the African Photojournalism Database, a directory of emerging and professional African visual journalists established by World Press Photo and Everyday Africa.


World Press Photo Involvement:
2026 World Press Photo Contest winner

Ihsaan Haffejee on Social Media: 
Instagram: @ihsaan_haffo