Born a Crime: Stories from a South African Childhood

Imagine a world where your very existence is a crime, not because of what you do, but because of who you are. In the dusty streets and crowded townships of apartheid South Africa, a child born to parents of different races was an illegal being, a living contradiction to the harsh laws designed to separate and control. Born a crime, the child navigated a world where every glance could be suspicion, every outing a potential danger. The laws were so invasive that birth certificates had to mask true heritage, often listing fictitious nationalities to protect families from persecution. The absurdity of the system was mirrored in tests like the pencil test, where a simple pencil’s ability to stay in one’s hair could decide a person’s fate—black or white, freedom or oppression.

In this environment, survival demanded creativity and courage. Mothers disguised their children, recruited neighbors to pose as guardians, and taught their offspring to be invisible when necessary. The streets themselves were divided, with buffer zones separating communities, and police patrols enforcing curfews and pass laws that restricted movement. Every step outside the home was a calculated risk, a dance with danger that required constant vigilance.

Yet, within this harsh reality, the child found moments of joy and belonging, learning to speak multiple languages and blend into different cultural groups. Language became a tool of survival, a way to cross invisible boundaries and claim identity in a fractured society. In a world designed to keep people apart, the ability to connect through language was a form of rebellion and resilience.

This story of being born a crime is not just about the pain of exclusion but the power of love and determination to overcome impossible odds. It is a testament to the human spirit’s refusal to be defined by unjust laws and the fierce protection of family in the face of systemic cruelty. As we move forward, we will explore how this early experience shaped a life of adaptability, humor, and hope, setting the stage for a journey through a divided nation and a divided self.