Excuses, excuses

Sometimes Mthatha seems so normal and regular, like I’ve been here for ages. But then you hear or see something that reminds you where you are.

One day, a few weeks back, Dorothy couldn’t come to work. The reason? Her cows - she owns three - had run off and the man she pays to tend them was nowhere to be found. Cows are a sign of wealth and I understand that a full-grown one is worth about 5000 rand (about $650 US). Basically, Dorothy’s savings account had wandered off. She tracked them down that day and sorted everything out.

A while later, I was talking to the contractor who is building a new rondavel next door to mine. The place has been pretty well finished for the last few weeks but they haven’t put on the roof yet. When I asked him why, he said they’re waiting for the grass (for the thatch roof) to grow to the right height before cutting it. Probably not something you’d hear from a contractor in the U.S.