Marché Arends

Investigative Journalist

Semafor •

Thabo Bester saga reveals the dangers in South Africa's prison privatization | Semafor

This story is really about the dismal state of South Africa's prisons and the dangers of poorly considered privatization. The local media has seized on the Bonnie and Clyde narrative. That’s understandable — it's juicy and, as more details emerge, increasingly bizarre. But, on closer examination, the story raises questions about the safety and effectiveness of the private sector's role in running the country’s penitentiaries.
Thought Leader •

Walking down the street is an act of courage

When I was 13 years old, I started walking home from school. As soon as my talking, brown leather shoes hit the ground outside the school gates, however, I wasn’t 13 anymore.

I was guarded, suspicious and afraid. Walking down the street as a woman, of any age, can be a traumatic experience.

One particular day when I was walking home, jaw clenched, hands rolled into fists, eyes darting around corners, I saw a man leaning against a waist-high wall.

The vice grip in my stomach tightened.
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