Butha - Buthe and the research

Finally online in Butha - Buthe :-)

Research is going at a slower pace now, or at least for the last days and it is still full with going here and there and joining this group or that meeting. And beside all the insitutional involvement I am conducting interviews with the people in the village here. And these are very very revealing.

Once one bypasses the gatekeepers or those involved in the structures, the "normal" people seem not to know or to care abou the projects brought to help them. There is sort of a tiredness of development work, especially because they feel that the follow ups are not done as they would wish it or it is put upon them without considering their needs. I have seen so many consultants by now, and talked to people that are involved in development work that I can understand the villagers.

Yesterday was one of the highlights of my research, I went to Clarens, RSA with "my" handicraft group on a study trip. This was a real adventure, first of all, be advised to find a taxi that has a permit otherwise you will be forced to go back, second make sure the taxi does not only have a permit, but the right one, otherwise you have to turned round as well.... or just take the next border post when one border post is too strict and will not let you pass, and that is what we did. To make it a real participant observation, it was myself having problems at the border to cross the first time into Lesotho (because of the wrong permit we had to turn round). When crossing back for the second time into Lesotho at the very same border post just with another official (a man that already knows me from all the crossings I did) I had no problems whatsoever and if even was granted another 30 days. These were very nice insights into the border procedures and crossings.

More of my findings when I am back to a decent Internet connection. What I found is that now that I stay, I have sort of 5 key informants that are my translators at the same time. As these have different backgrounds, I can do a very good triangulation with them and as well see where their background makes them thinking differently and therefore giving me different information. This sounds very technical, and I do really appreciate all their help, some of them let me look deep into their lives, although they are all not "rural rural" and good educated.

Shortly before I interrupt to go back to my interviews, the elections so far were quite smooth. But now the two parties that lost ABC and BNP are contesting the results and some of my people here said, that something could break out, so I am vigilant at this point. Especially because the elections of 1998 ended in big riots in this country. And no worries, I am vigilant and have friends that will let me know when I have to leave.

All the best and you will hear back from my next break in Pretoria next week!