Fear. Thats the shadow many South Africans live in everyday. So many brutal killings and rapes, then there are muggings and hijackings. I’ve been mugged twice in a span of a month, it was traumatizing because after that I was too scared to walk out of the house. It gets better though with time and you can share your stories with other victims.

I recently moved to Joburg, and we all know how notorious it can be. I’m from a small Town in Mpumalanga where the crime rate isn’t as high and I still don’t feel afraid walking around at midnight after a night out. Johannesburg on the other hand is daunting, I’m afraid even at 2pm to walk out alone, not that I don’t do it but I’m constantly checking out the person behind me, I refuse to wear anything sexy or revealing...anything that would attract unwanted attention.

I walk really fast, and I try avoid any eye contact, everything is fast, shopping is in and out, I don’t doodle. I’m starting to feel the effects though, the tension is building up and I wake up at every sound even when I’m locked in my bedroom with the alarm system-pepper spray thing on.
I don’t know how long people can carry on like this, we cannot keep living in fear, but I cannot come up with a solution.