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?