©2009 Full Circle Magazine.
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Safety and security are, alas, among
South Africans’ most significant daily
concerns. And it’s no surprise – crime is
a terrible symptom of the desperately-
unequal society in which we live. But how
can we respond? By retreating into
personal fortresses, increasingly armed,
isolated, fearful and unseeing of the
have-nots around us? These traits have
become a sad South African cliché.
Look around you at the state of your
neighbourhood. How many of the houses are
surrounded by high walls, burglar bars,
barbed wire, security lights, remote-control
gates, laser beams? Look at the others, so
far lacking these features. These houses are
now ‘soft spots’, whose occupants may soon
become victims – many of whom may
eventually move out. Nor are the fortified
houses immune – thieves know the fortress
contains valuables and adopt more
sophisticated methods. Ask yourself: Is this
‘arms race’ really the kind of society which we
want?
There is, of course, another way, a way
which people all over South Africa are
embracing: simply building (or re-building)
communities … get to know your neighbours;
be alert and aware; look out for your patch;
join the Neighbourhood Watch; contribute to
employment and poverty-relief programmes
through your taxes and charitable donations;
walk around and greet your neighbours,
rather than rush by in a car. This approach to
community security is less expensive, more
peaceful, more rewarding, and almost
certainly more effective than going the
fortress route.
Too many settlements on the Cape
Peninsula are no longer communities, but
collections of houses or flats where
neighbours don’t even know each other.
Some, like my neighbourhood in the
Glencairn Valley, face this ‘fortress vs
community’ crossroads. Safe, beautiful areas
with a low crime rate, they have retained
their rural, friendly, community feel. But crime
and, I would argue, overuse of cars, can fast
erode that sense of community. Residents
can easily retreat into isolation and suspicion
once crime starts to take hold.
My friend Ferozah’s recent trip to Spain
reminded me of what’s wonderful about small
villages in Europe – not normally my
continent of choice… the village square, or
the commons, where old men play chess or
some version of boules in the golden
afternoon light; the children bicycling home
from the bakery with fresh loaves under their
arms, laughing and chattering happily; the
smell of home-cooking wafting from open
windows; and the friendly gossip of young
women. There are no burglar-bars, no
shopping malls or gated carports. It is not
utopia, but it is a saner and simpler way to
live.
We can recreate that sense of community,
and peace, in South Africa. But it requires a
conscious choice, away from the
divisiveness of a fortress mentality. It also
requires a fundamental commitment, and
action by both government and individuals,
to reduce the poverty and unemployment
which breed crime.
The Glencairn Valley is one example of a
scattered community currently challenging
this fortress-mentality community-
crossroads. Tony van Niekerk and a team of
inspired individuals have convened a small
strategy think-tank about ways to keep the
area’s wonderfully rural and beautiful feel,
while keeping crime down and recreating a
sense of community. In some ways, it could
be an uphill battle: the area is hilly; most
people drive rather than walk; some
residents are short-term tenants; and the
area has its share of crusty people who do
their own thing and don’t much care for
their neighbours. Still, it also has a lot going
for it: scenic beauty; fabulous outdoor
recreational opportunities; a reasonable
amount of diversity of culture, talent and
personal histories. We can regrow a
community here, because there are enough
well-meaning, lively people who want to
see it happen. The Glencairn Valley, like
the rest of the Far South Peninsula, can –
especially if people drop their excessive
dependence on cars – be a model of
sustainability and community spirit.
Roy Siegfried once referred to the ‘lentil
curtain’. I think he meant the ‘back-to-the-
earth’ set, largely English-speaking and
enjoying the beauty of Noordhoek,
Scarborough, Kommetjie, Glencairn, Fish
Hoek and Kalk Bay. There is so much
talent, so many ideas, so much intercultural
goodwill. Let’s build upon that, and support
local initiatives and employment initiatives
that bring us together and reduce the
inequalities of our people. It’s not Utopian.
It’s common sense, justice and the way to
peace and well-being.
As with all aspects of sustainability,
rebuilding a sense of community is not
about giving up what you have, but taking
back what you’ve lost … mental space;
time with family and friends; understanding
of fellow men and women; neighbourliness;
laughter; caring… Let’s be careful not to
take the wrong turn away from these
values, which make life worth living.
Office
Use white or black
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September 2009 Vol6 No9
sustainable living
Fortress or community?
by Dr Phoebe Barnard
