TSOTSI!

The film starts out in a way that glamorizes Tsotsi’s way of life as a criminal. After the murder took place, the rhythm started to change into one of soullessness except for the upset Boston who is quickly disciplined by Tsotsi. Reality is soon brought back into the picture when Tsotsi realizes that there is a baby in the back seat of the car he had just stolen for joyriding.

Crime in South Africa has become a growing concern in the last several years. A current trend of emigration has begun from the cities to suburban areas that have proven safer and have been modified for this purpose. Johannesburg is the leader in this trend and is used as the setting for the film. The young boys travel to the city from their nearby township to perfom crimes. Even closer than the city, is a typical gated community where many commuting middle-class citizens are common targets in the current crime wave.

This photo illustrates a current township approximately 10 miles from downtown Johannesburg. The houses near the bottom are typical of the area and actually surround the above township. These scenarios are common throughout the city and allow easy access for criminal activity.

Crime rates in South Africa are high and rivaled by very few locations. “This country is one of the three most dangerous in the world, including Iraq and Columbia. Every day, more than 300 murders and violent attacks take place (BBC, 2007).” Murder rates here gather negative attention worldwide and the numbers have been a major concern since the seventies. It was thought that the first multi-racial elections held in 1994 would lessen the increasing crime, but it had no impact. The removal of the apartheid government was a positive action for the country regardless of the crime rates as it has allowed for more economic opportunity for many.

Economic factors are the root of most crimes and are committed mainly, by young males like Tsotsi and his friends. There is a high level of desperation felt by young men in poverty-stricken areas especially when 3 out of 4 deaths for 15-49 year olds are due to AIDS. These factors play a big part in persuading youth to commit crimes. There are also many organized crime cells throughout the country similar to the automobile chop-shop shown in Tsotsi’s village making it easier to become involved in criminal activity. Competition for honest work is high and many people end up in dangerous mining jobs that have high accident rates. Mining entities have just recently begun to make conscious efforts towards safer working environments throughout the last decade.

Perhaps the worst crime of all is rape. It’s the most frequent and contributes greatly to the number of AIDS cases, thus compounding its severity. Approximately 1 in 2 women will be raped in South Africa and 30% of adolescents experience this act as their first sexual encounter. Part of the problem is the male disposition and another is that only about 30% of all cases are reported, with only 15% of those ending in a conviction. The result is only four to five convictions for every one hundred reports.

Ultimately the rape issue is becoming larger here than any other country and is even worse due to the AIDS epidemic. The rate of 300 violent attacks including homicide, takes place on a daily basis. The number is staggering, but is overshadowed by the 1,000 deaths every day due to AIDS. The current population is just under 49 million and the growth rate is rapidly approaching .0% with more than 10% of the total population infected with HIV.

Three out of four deaths associating with middle aged citizens are because of AIDS. Several negative by-products are related to this situation. Many wage-earners pass away leaving behind families with no means to support themselves financially, elderly people are left behind by a younger generation with no one to care for them, and thousands of children become orphaned. The rate of orphans has been on a rapid rise for years reaching 1.4 million recently. Tsotsi was an AIDS orphan who had to fend for himself, and there was an example of young orphans like him when he visited the concrete pipes he lived in as a child.

The current life expectancy for males and females alike is around 49 due mainly to AIDS. Most people attend more funerals than weddings and rarely go two weeks without attending at least one. This trend is leading to a decline in population while most countries such as the U.S. have seen numbers double in the last fifty years. Area government has just recently begun to take action regarding AIDS. The movie addressed a similar division that still exists today regarding law enforcement. The scene where police describe Tsotsi’s township as a place where finding a stolen car is impossible, let alone a stolen baby. The problem here was a lack of communication and respect for government authority. South African action came late to addressing the issue of AIDS due to the apartheid that was finally dispersed in the 1990’s, nearly fifty years since inception. The newly appointed, ANC (African National Congress), addressed the issue quickly and proactively and now has the respect of its nations’ citizens.

The word Tsotsi actually means ‘gangster’ or ‘thug,’ and he was shown in several different ways. The two collages that Miriam had made seem to symbolize the two different sides of him that are portrayed. One is rough and weathered while the other is bright and colorful. Without the baby, Tsotsi resembles the rough weathered collage and when he has the baby, he is warm and caring. He asked Miriam what her motivation was for each and she simply said it was feelings of sadness for one and happiness for the other.

Tsotsi’s sense of curiosity was shown while he was with the man in the wheelchair. He was rude towards him early on, but compassionate towards the end. His humane side was shown the morning after he had taken the baby. When it came time to feed and change it, he went to great lengths to comfort the infant. His actions gradually changed as well leading away from a corrupt life into ultimately making responsible decisions. This is similar to the ANC’s approach to the AIDS epidemic.

All in all, the film does a nice job of portraying individuals who commit crimes as likable or at least understandable. The current issues facing this region are addressed in a way that relates people in different classes on new levels. Overall, the movie speaks for a generation that is mainly a victim of circumstance.