Sanibonani Swaziland !
I have spent the last four days in the Mlilwane Wildlife Reserve in Swaziland. The hostel is located inside the reserve and is probably the best YHA hostel in the world. Where else can you go for a hike by yourself and share a trail with monkeys, zebras, impalas, wilderbees and warthogs. You can walk pass a hippo pool and watch the bubbles of crocs breathing underwater. Some of the animals wander into camp and there was a family of warthogs happily munching on the lawn and an ostrich that is particularly fond of the one camp ground. There no big predators in the reserve, so I have been thoughly enjoying wandering around the trails and climbing the peaks, and taking a break from the African cities.
Swaziland looks like a spitball wedged between South Africa and Mozambique is a great little country. Technically, it's the kingdom of Swaziland and one of the last monarchies left in Africa with the much beloved King Mswati III. Crossing the border into mostly rural Swaziland, I immediately felt a difference. Relaxed and laidback with a proud and friendly people. Gone was the tensions in South Africa. Gone was what to it seemed to me, only white people in charge of hostels, stores, etc. Gone was the lingering effects of segregation. It feels I'm back in Africa again.
I really like Capetown and the Drakensberg mountain range made me want to get off the bus and go for hike. But the crime and violence is pretty bad in South Africa compared to home. There has been over 80 armed bank robberies and daylight are not uncommon in some cities. I've met a few travellers who have been mugged at knife point or gunpoint in the afternoon and no one seemed to help or numerous home invasions.
Could it be just poverty? With an apporximately 30 percent unemployment rate, there is definitely poverty in the townships and inner cities. Yet, India which is visibly poorer doesn't even come close to their crime rate. Neighbor Zimbabwe has an unemployment rate of 70 to 80 percent and I felt safer walking around the capital city then in Durban or Jo'burg. I keep asking why are there so many guns in South Africa. I know Africa as whole has made gun manufacturers very happy.
Could it be corrupt police. A lot of the bank robberies and armoured car robberies are inside jobs. Perhaps it is the legacy of Apartheid. One white local speculated, the blacks were stealing because when they see someone drive an expenisve car, they assume it was because that person benefited from Apartheid. Given the low wage and high costs, the view is that one can never make the amount needed to buy the things they want. During a township tour, the guide could point out who the criminals were and could probably tell who robbed which bank or hiest. It seemed the criminals were legimate in the community as long as they didn't commit the crimes inside the township. Some of criminals actually contributed to the building of a church. So after ten years since Apartheid has ended, the black still do feel thay are part of greater society. Stealing from the whites was considered heroic during the apartheid years.
There is the fact the black community is fractionalized. There are many tribes and there is not a cohesive group, unlike say the Indian community. One Zimbabwian pointed to the conquering and often violent Zulu history and culture. There is also the fact there is no real social welfare system in South Africa. I'm sure there is a MA thesis somewhere in there.
Off to Mozambigue tomorrow to explore the sandy beaches and Indian Ocean coast. Time to get my passport from their embassy here in Mbabne.
Swaziland looks like a spitball wedged between South Africa and Mozambique is a great little country. Technically, it's the kingdom of Swaziland and one of the last monarchies left in Africa with the much beloved King Mswati III. Crossing the border into mostly rural Swaziland, I immediately felt a difference. Relaxed and laidback with a proud and friendly people. Gone was the tensions in South Africa. Gone was what to it seemed to me, only white people in charge of hostels, stores, etc. Gone was the lingering effects of segregation. It feels I'm back in Africa again.
I really like Capetown and the Drakensberg mountain range made me want to get off the bus and go for hike. But the crime and violence is pretty bad in South Africa compared to home. There has been over 80 armed bank robberies and daylight are not uncommon in some cities. I've met a few travellers who have been mugged at knife point or gunpoint in the afternoon and no one seemed to help or numerous home invasions.
Could it be just poverty? With an apporximately 30 percent unemployment rate, there is definitely poverty in the townships and inner cities. Yet, India which is visibly poorer doesn't even come close to their crime rate. Neighbor Zimbabwe has an unemployment rate of 70 to 80 percent and I felt safer walking around the capital city then in Durban or Jo'burg. I keep asking why are there so many guns in South Africa. I know Africa as whole has made gun manufacturers very happy.
Could it be corrupt police. A lot of the bank robberies and armoured car robberies are inside jobs. Perhaps it is the legacy of Apartheid. One white local speculated, the blacks were stealing because when they see someone drive an expenisve car, they assume it was because that person benefited from Apartheid. Given the low wage and high costs, the view is that one can never make the amount needed to buy the things they want. During a township tour, the guide could point out who the criminals were and could probably tell who robbed which bank or hiest. It seemed the criminals were legimate in the community as long as they didn't commit the crimes inside the township. Some of criminals actually contributed to the building of a church. So after ten years since Apartheid has ended, the black still do feel thay are part of greater society. Stealing from the whites was considered heroic during the apartheid years.
There is the fact the black community is fractionalized. There are many tribes and there is not a cohesive group, unlike say the Indian community. One Zimbabwian pointed to the conquering and often violent Zulu history and culture. There is also the fact there is no real social welfare system in South Africa. I'm sure there is a MA thesis somewhere in there.
Off to Mozambigue tomorrow to explore the sandy beaches and Indian Ocean coast. Time to get my passport from their embassy here in Mbabne.
posted by Louis at 10:27 AM
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