Taking Risks in Townships

On the 13th November, headlines announced the death in an apparent carjacking of a honeymooning bride in the 'township' of Gugulethu, near Cape Town. Big news in the UK, as the bridegroom was British. I remember thinking, well, what were they thinking, being in a township late at night, that was stupid. You might detect a little less sympathy than there should have been. It turns out that the taxi driver has been arrested, and is claiming that he was paid by the bridegroom to do away with the woman he'd just married. No idea on that, but it does seem that the murder had nothing to do with the location - except as cover perhaps, so the story doesn't really tell us how dangerous Gugulethu is.

Gugulethu is actually home to a place which pulls in tourists and other people with money, Mzoli's Meat. I've heard a couple of (linguistic) academic papers on what goes on there - apparently there's a Jewish Xhosa-speaking comedian who gigs there (the linked video is worth watching). So maybe it's not so bad after all, just something went very wrong.

We're heading back to Kenya later this month. It also has some spots I wouldn't go at night (eg much of downtown and the biggest 'township', Kibera). But people are normally more worried about other areas, rather than their own. I, living in Karen, don't like going downtown at night. Others who live nearer town don't like to come to Karen at night. Who's the stupid one?

A Day of Disappointment in England, but something a little more serious elsewhere.

Well, England didn't get the 2018 World Cup. I was thinking of writing something before the result of that vote came out, when there was still some tension, but it's a bit late for that now.

Meanwhile, in Cote d'Ivoire (Ivory Coast) they're waiting on the results of their elections. A friend writes that international TV has been shut off, and the borders shut, after the government claims there was widespread fraud in the North, which has not been under government control for the last 8 years. Apparently international monitors have not found widespread fraud in the North, but it seems clear that the results, which were approved by the Electoral Commission, give the opposition candidate Ouattara a majority, so the president's rep in the commission decided to tear the results up. Not a good sign for democracy, maybe not as bad as the closure of the borders, and the fatal attack on some of Ouattara's supporters yesterday.

Ivoriens, behold Kenya and shudder! An attempt to steal an election there cost over 1,500 lives, and the country pulled back from the brink of much worse. And stealing elections doesn't just cause immediate violence, but helps to create a culture of impunity and corruption which makes the overall governance, and therefore life of the people, much worse. Better to lose an election honestly than win one by deception.