Skip to main content

Photographer Erin Conway-Smith follows civil servant Anastasia Thomas to work and home

Open this photo in gallery:

Anastasia Thomas sets out cereal while son Ethan, 5, waits to eat. The civil servant is up by 5:30 a.m. to make sure her kids get their baths and breakfast.

1 of 5
Open this photo in gallery:

Ms. Thomas arrives at her office. She works as a civil servant for the Gauteng provincial ministry of education. Her office is in downtown Johannesburg – the commute to which can take her from 30 to 60 minutes.

2 of 5
Open this photo in gallery:

Ms. Thomas sits with son Chad, 13, after his swimming lesson. He hopes to become a competitive swimmer.

3 of 5
Open this photo in gallery:

Ethan, 5, shows his mother a photo he took on her camera. They are attending a student concert in which middle son Chad is playing the African drum.

4 of 5
Open this photo in gallery:

The Thomas family, which includes several extended family members and a live-in domestic worker, sit down for supper together. After work, Ms. Thomas cooks dinner and makes sure the children lay out their school uniforms for the next day.

5 of 5

Interact with The Globe