Cape Town notebook

2 May 2009

Signs of good hope at the Cape

As we circle out into Table Bay and back towards the mountain, the pilot welcomes us to Cape Town – and warns us about the burgeoning violence. For the first time, locals are talking about it too. ‘We all know people who have been raped and murdered,’ says one friend who delivers me to my guesthouse after a meal and watches until I am safely inside. She rings her security company and arranges for a guard to meet her at her door if she is coming home late. So do my other female friends.

I’m staying at Kalk Bay, a seaside village a little way outside the town centre, where you can buy freshly caught fish on the quayside and which has the shabby chic of parts of Notting Hill. It has the best bookshop in the city – chosen by Justin Cartwright for a recent book launch – and it has the guesthouse I’m staying in, which looks out over the harbour. I’ve never had an office with a better view.

It’s worth the drive, even though I discover that far from the area being free of all but the pettiest crime, a couple of men had recently tried to smash their way in through the guest house door to steal a television. And two pretty shop assistants in India Jane tell me there have been six armed robberies in neighbouring Fish Hoek in the past two weeks.

On my last night there is a disturbance outside my room in the early hours; someone is crashing about and shouting. Should I ring the police? Is he about to break into my room and rip my laptop from my arms? I decide instead to phone Florian, the young Swiss owner, who sensibly doesn’t live on the premises. He doesn’t sound best pleased. ‘It’s a British guest who is drunk,’ he says shortly. ‘It’s being dealt with. This is not a war zone.’

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Sharyn

May 6th, 2009 9:11pm Report this comment

Cape Town rocks ! Thanks Janice for putting us on the map - AND via the Speccie nogal ! I have been a serious fan and reader of both Spectator and Noseweek for many years, in fact spent the last 5 years in the factory that processed many good titles amongst them the Spectator (my first Wednesday night at work, MY factory did the Speccie - thought I'd died and gone to Cape Town). One of my best UK memories !
Everything you have written is true - having returned home after 5 years in the UK. Capetonians have always been ' accused ' of being different to the rest of the country. Now we have confirmed it, we are different and long may it stay that way ! Great people and fantastic summer weather ! Do come and visit us !

Matt

July 6th, 2009 5:12pm Report this comment

Thanks for a fantastic article Janice. I'm from Cape Town but live in Southampton, Hampshire, these days. It's great to read some positive coverage on one of the most magical cities in the world. Let's hope Zille continues to receive support to make many more changes.

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