I was treading on dead rats whilst walking around the Soweto shanty town the other day. Now there’s champagne and canapes, tea and scones and coffee and biscotti on offer. Visiting the private 7 acre Italienate Garden of St Christopher. A charity open garden day in the white suburbs of Johannesburg. Walking amongst the millionaires and billionaires.
Johannesburg.
A city of contrasts.
We’re in Homes & Gardens territory here. Everywhere are grand houses on a scale that you rarely see outside of London. The sort of place where you’re considered poor if you don’t have a swimming pool and tennis court. Or 6 bedrooms.
But.
All these homes are surrounded by 10ft high concrete walls.
With electric fences.
With security gates.
With CCTV cameras.
With small guard house at each entrance.
With “Armed Response” signs plastered everywhere.
Yeah.
Great.
