Olivia Danields is 29 years old. She works as a waitress at Salisbury Cafe in Upper Woodstock on Roodebloem road. She is from Cape Town and lives in Beacon Valley in Mitchells Plain, an area that was assigned to coloured people during Apartheid and still remains predominantly coloured. Her vision on Cape Town and its people is very interesting.
This is her story.
She describes Mitchells Plain as being a nice area to live because it is a very communal area where everyone knows each other and look after each others. However, she explains that there is bad side of it due to the high criminality and the drugs caused by the gangsterism. She explain after taking a paff on her cigarette, ‘’My brothers and my family have been affected due to the drugs. Principally because of Whoonga: a mixture of Heroin and the medicine against HIV. That’s why they sell and it hooks you instantly. It’s also very affordable it only costs 25R.’’. Gangstersim increased the past 10 years in her area, she used to be able to walk at night without feeling unsafe when she was a teenager. Now it is another story. In fact, because of the gangster fight for territories, the safety as been very low. It created tension and you can expect to be mugged or be victim of any aggressions at any time. Even if you are not part of the gang. Solely because you live in the area of the dominant gang. With a smile of compassion she mentioned that ‘’you just need to be at the wrong place at the wrong moment and you will be targeted by the robbers or the gangsters’’. For her she does not blame the people getting enrolled in criminality, drugs or gangsterism. The condition of poverty sometimes erases the vision of a better future. ‘’You can either chose to stay in the bright side and struggle or make lots of money out of criminality but stay stuck in it and risk your life everyday.’’ She explains when lighting another cigarette and indicate her cigarette to explain me an example:’’ Look I smoke. I started when I was 13. It was because I wanted to fit into the group. Be part of it. Same with drugs. Most of the time it’s to escape from their sad reality’’.
I wanted to know how she witnessed the change and evolution of Mitchells Plain.
It started to change in 2003. People you will know will try to rob you. All of that because of the drugs. It’s a vicious cycle: They get into drugs, they do not have enough money to afford so they rob and sometimes it can go further than just robbery.’’ She raises her shoulders. The police is corrupt most of the time and just leave for a pack of money.
That’s why she loves Woodstock. She loves the place she work at because it is safer than where she lives and it is nice to see this racial and social mix in this area.
I would like to know how can the government solve the problem of gangsterism in Mitchells Plain.
For her, the government can not vanish it. ‘’If you close one side, another one will open on the other side. The change has to come from the community. No ones do anything because they are too scared’’. She puts her hand on her chin and replace her legs. She explains that when she com home from work she always has pepper spray on her. She would love one day that no individuals and no women will have to use it to protect themselves. She laughed when she told me that because she does not believe it is going to happen anytime soon.
I asked her after how does it feel to be a regular in Upper Woodstock.
She loves it, everyone knows you even they do not know your name they check on you ‘’Hey how are you ? How is your job going ?’’ . Olivia thinks it is nice to receive that from people you do not actually know. Being friendly and nice always brings light in your day. ‘’No one should stop being friendly.’’ she guffaws.
She described Cape Town as her hometown, a very beautiful and touristy place. The only issue is crime and inequality. To her, The mother City will be the best city in the world if these two elements had to vanish.
She asked me if you could conclude the interview with a little message. In a laugh I told her that of course she may.
‘’Treat people equally. Treat people as you would like to be treated. Go to people you do not know and make crazy encounters that will change and broaden your mind. You just need love and humanity for that and we all have that.
The Régulars 