Taking matters into your own hands

Phil and i had parked on a backstreet road of Durban city centre, a last minute decision caused by the desire to buy a fresh fish from the fish market. We got out the car as it started to rain, the streets of Durban now looking wet, drab and dirty but still littered with people and street sellers selling everything from the chinese market to traditional medicines home made in used spirit bottles. All of a sudden in the next street down was shouting and arguing by a group of people, they were joined with everybody else who had heard the noise nearby and came running towards them to watch the action. This was also the same street the fish market was on so we too were crossing the road with the rest of the mob heading down to the action. 15 seconds later 2 men appeared walking towards us restraining a boy no older than 16, he was scruffy, dirty and had his trousers hanging half way down his bottom presumably from the struggle he had to just put up. They had a group of people following them saying "shaya, shaya", which from my zulu knowledge means "hit him, hit him". The boy had been stealing. Its the culture in zulu, if anyone is caught stealing the passers by around them with catch, hit and beat the person. This is a measure they take to ensure the person does not steal again, or anyone else for that matter. The police are not involved and are aware that this is the practise, but let's face it, what are the SA police going to do? The zulu way is much more effective.

It's the same in many of the townships, there is a lot of respect and strong bonds within the community. If a man is known to be guilty of rape, stealing, beating his wife etc he will be taken by the community to a public, busy area and beaten for what he has done. Its very much like going way back in time.