Zebra Crossing

Ghost. Ape. Living dead. Young Chipo has been called many names, but to her mother — Zimbabwe ’s most loyal Manchester United supporter — she had always just been Chipo, meaning gift. On the eve of the World Cup, Chipo and her brother flee to Cape Town hoping for a better life and to share in the excitement of the greatest sporting event ever to take place in Africa. But the Mother City's infamous Long Street is a dangerous place for an illegal immigrant and albino. Soon Chipo is caught up in a get-rich-quick scheme organized by her brother and the terrifying Dr Ongani. Exploiting gamblers’ superstitions about albinism, they plan to make money and get out before rumors of looming xenophobic attacks become reality. But their scheming has devastating consequences. Ghost. Ape. Living dead. Young and albino, Chipo has been called many things, but to her mother – Zimbabwe's most loyal Manchester United supporter – she had always been a gift. On the eve of the World Cup, Chipo and her brother flee to Cape Town, hoping for a better life and to share in the excitement of the greatest sporting event ever to take place in Africa. But the Mother City's infamous Long Street is a dangerous place for an illegal immigrant and an albino. Soon Chipo is caught up in a get-rich-quick scheme organised by her brother and the terrifying Dr Ongani. Exploiting gamblers' superstitions about albinism, they plan to make money and get out of the city before rumours of looming xenophobic attacks become a reality. But their scheming has devastating consequences. Set in the underbelly of a pulsating Cape Town, Meg Vandermerwe's Zebra Crossing is an arresting debut and a bold, lyrical imagining of what it's like to live in another person's skin. "Zebra Crossing tells the story of its protagonist and narrator, Chipo, an illegal immigrant in her late teens, and her older brother George. Both have fled poverty and political and private turmoil in their native Zimbabwe for a better life in Cape Town. Set during the 2010 World Cup, it explores myth and malice in the Mother City. As excitement about the World Cup grows, so do xenophobic tensions. Consequently, George and fellow Zimbabweans Peter and David attempt to exploit Chipo's albinism and local superstitions about the condition to make their fortunes amongst the illegal soccer betting rings that have sprung up along the city's infamous Long Street. Their plan is to get rich quick and leave, before the violent rumours that all foreign Africans remaining in the country after the final soccer match will be attacked, come to fruition. However, their scheme has disastrous consequences." -- Publisher's website. Ghost. Ape. Living Dead. Young Chipo Has Been Called Many Names, But To Her Mother ? Zimbabwe 's Most Loyal Manchester United Supporter ? She Had Always Just Been Chipo, Meaning Gift. On The Eve Of The World Cup, Chipo And Her Brother Flee To Cape Town Hoping For A Better Life And To Share In The Excitement Of The Greatest Sporting Event Ever To Take Place In Africa. But The Mother City's Infamous Long Street Is A Dangerous Place For An Illegal Immigrant And Albino. Soon Chipo Is Caught Up In A Get-rich-quick Scheme Organized By Her Brother And The Terrifying Dr Ongani. Exploiting Gamblers' Superstitions About Albinism, They Plan To Make Money And Get Out Before Rumors Of Looming Xenophobic Attacks Become Reality. But Their Scheming Has Devastating Consequences. Meg Vandermerwe. Selected for South African O Magazine’s best reads, this devastating debut grips from the first page.