South Africa 2008 - Fence Culture
As an American, one of the things that stands out to me each time I visit South Africa is that everything is fenced. And not just fenced, but tall-concertina-wire-electric-angry-fenced. No country I've ever visited has fences this dramatic.
People live in named communities (I can't help but to internally think of them as burbclaves) that are a collection of houses surrounded by a fence. These are similar to the named neighborhoods (developments) in the states, except for the posted guard and gate with a keypad. Once you're inside the community, each house still has their own fence, gates, and bars on the windows.
The South Africans I talked to don't think anything of it. One said "Good neighbors start with good fences." When I expressed my surprise at the fence culture, folks said things like "[Americans] are the ones that totally changed your airport security system after 9/11. You're as much a culture of fear, or more so, than [South Africans] are."
This was an interesting observation, but of course, as an ethnocentric American, I didn't quite see it that way. ;) From the outside looking in, I see fence culture everywhere. I was flipping through an advertising insert in the local newspaper and it was filled with security options for your home. Many were focused on being very secure without looking overtly like security. There were steel blinds that could "withstand an attack from a 2kg hammer" while still looking stylish in your home. There's monitoring services and guard services.
Some South Africans I talked to about this said that fence culture has always been. First when the Whites in power separated themselves from the Blacks, and now when the "folks with stuff" separate themselves from the folks without stuff. The burbclaves I've seen are fairly mixed, with some leaning one way or the other, but generally, it seems, if you have the money to live somewhere, you can live there. For example, my brother-in-law's family stays in a community of 30 or so houses that has every color under the sun. The common thread is that they all live in this gated community. They all have satellite TV, washing machines, hot water, etc. Suburbs are suburbs in my experience, no matter where you are in the world. This might as well be Kansas, from an amenities point of view.
It seems to me that the distance between the haves and the have nots here in South Africa is fairly marked. This has been my experience in other African countries as well. Hiring a full-time maid is a fairly inexpensive prospect here, as is day labor or construction work.
Where things come into stark contrast is when you leave your community and venture out. So far I've been the only White guy walking anywhere. At the mall today, I was lost and I asked someone how to exit the mall. She asked where I parked, and when I said, I walked, she was visibly shocked. Not regular bemused, but taken aback. Apparently going somewhere without a car is an odd thing. I looked like a have, but was doing a have-not activity. Silly Americans I suppose.
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John
Aside from many new developments, Cape Town's suburbs remain fenceless, although the houses are generally fenced (and socially, I suppose, we're pretty fenced off too, but that's another matter altogether).
Admittedly, I don't know how easy it is to obtain a gun in South Africa.
I've been living in the US for a few years now, and I'm still taken back by the insane driving culture, and the lack of pedestrians and bikers here.
I'm from Costa Rica, and for us the situation is similar, worst I could say.
I'm living now in Seattle (working for MS), and this is one of the things I like the most here, the safety that you feel almost everywhere (in comparison with what I was used to back in CR).
Most people in Costa Rica live "locked in", so, seeing something like this: http://twitpic.com/rs5n is pretty common, at least in the capital.
And @Diego, in Costa Rica is also really easy to get a gun (legally), but what's the idea of getting a gun if you aren't at home when somebody enters to steal something?.
What's interesting these days is that although there aren't fences in America like you see in Africa, the "gated community" concept seems to be taking off.
Of course, the financial institutions are in on the act - try to get home-insurance without the 'angry' fences, steel bars and gates at every house entrance, alarm systems with armed reaction service, vehicle satellite tracking devices for your car etc. Either you pay a massive premium, or you are simply refused cover.
As in most other African countries, the empowered people are often operating a huge self-enrichment process at the expense of providing efficient, basic services such as law-enforcement, primary health care, expedient judicial system etc. etc. (you all know this...).
BUT - I was born and bred here - and I love it - so although I b*tch and moan - I'll probably live here until I die (hopefully of natural causes). Anyway, remember our motto here on the dark continent: 'Africa is not for sissies'.. :-)
Walking to the mall is also funny, the main reason is because South Africans love going to malls, and not just one. We would go to one mall on the one side of Pretoria (City close to JoBurg) and then end up at a mall right across town. So walking 20-30km is not fun, driving a car is much better. We are also not afraid of travelling long distances, hence to affinity towards all things mobile, cars, bikes, scooters, taxi busses etc.
That and how will you get the bags of stuff home again? Walking with them is not a lot of fun.
I hope that this explains why we have this gated community culture.
I've experienced much the same in Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea. I suggested walking outside the fence across the road to purchase something at the service station (gas station). People thought I was insane.
I had a friend who was recently caught in the middle of a gun battle in Port Moresby. The police were fighting the army. Yes you read that right. When the police are fighting the army, it's time to leave.
Regards,
Greg
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