3rd world... or whatever

I am constantly at a loss as to what to call South Africa. Technically, South Africa is a 'Dualistic' economy. This means that parts of the country are 1st world. Thank you British Empire. Yes yes, you Dutch colonists can say all you like, but when you get right down to it, no one was better than the British Empire at building a good road with a roundabout or two for decoration, or setting up a nice universally unfair tax system.

Unfortunately, thanks to our rather infamous former government (among others of its predecessors) the rest of the country is pretty much buggered. Yes, that's right, buggered. The truly startling thing about Apartheid was that it kept this bit well hidden. Well, from South Africans anyway. International news is much more effective when local news is run by the government. "Poverty? What poverty? Where?" was pretty much the official stand point. That and standing with fingers in ears going la-la-la-la-la whenever anyone raised a valid point, or a sanction for that matter. If la-la-la didn't work, a nice quick bullet to the head normally did the trick. As a result, South Africa is largely 3rd world. People outside the cities do, in fact, live in huts. They do, in fact, herd (and sell their daughters for) cows. This is not a common 1st world pursuit. To be 1st world you have to PAY someone to take your daughter, in the form of a dowry, or in more recent times, a wedding. Failing that, one can pay someone else to watch the cows and this makes you 'respectable'.

What's my point? Oh yes, the blurring of the lines. The 3rd world has kinda mixed into the 1st now. It is uncommon, but not unheard of, for neighbors in a nice suburb to be disturbed by the ritual slaughter of a chicken in the middle of the night. Now I am not saying that the slaughter of chickens makes you 3rd world. I mean, essentially abattoirs slaughter chickens every day, and we even add ritual to it to make it Kosher or Halal. It is, essentially, ritual slaughter on a grand scale, but done where you cant see it. What makes it feel a little wrong is the fact that its happening next door, in someones back yard, on the lawn.

I digress. I am in a funny mood. It might be the single malt I found in my Dads cupboard. Mmmmm....

So, the third world has entered our suburbs. How, you ask? In the form of guards. I arrived home in Cape Town, and on the way back from the airport, and into the suburb where my father lives, I noticed spaced out wooden huts (nice, respectable, clearly well made ones). Each had a nice bright number painted on it.

Dad: Oh darling, you don't know about the new guard huts! Every one of these huts has a guard in them at night. Every resident has a whistle, so that if there are any problems they can alert the nearest guard and they will receive help.

I sat for a moment speechless. This is necessary?

Dad: Oh darling, it's wonderful. When I get home at night now, I don't even THINK of highjackings anymore. It's such wonderful peace of mind. Isn't it great?

'Yes, yes it is,' I replied as I tried to get my head around this. At night we now have a guard at every street corner, watching us. It feels oddly Nazi-esque, somehow. While I am grateful for the added protection, as I work nights and will be coming home late, I am slightly horrified that its needed. What will happen when the thugs run out of other hunting grounds, and realise that a guard is fairly easy to kill? Fenced compounds? Areas with designated movement?

Ah well, we shall see. In other news, being home is nice. I have a bed again, not a sofa, and (*bounces*) a cleaning lady! I have a kitchen to play in, and a car to use, and a seaside and mountain I am going to glue my eyes to for the next 3 months. Will keep you updated on the new job when I decide if I really want to be working there :-P



P.S. Speaking of weddings, my Dad mentioned today that he has money put aside for my wedding. I am kinda tempted to have one now, just for the sake of using the money. Am I bad?