Township “Gooi-Gooi” Game Goes Off the Rails

South African township residents have a game called “gooi-gooi” (throw-throw), which usually involves five players who each pay R1 000 a month into a kitty.

If there are five participants, the game goes on for five months, and each month one of the players becomes the “lucky winner” of the R5 000.

For obvious reasons, the game is hardly worthwhile if there are only two players, but neighbours Mkitshwa Nkapai and Mqwati Stemela did not realise their twosome game would go off the rails and end up in Commissioner Alma de Wet’s court.

Stemela agreed to participate on condition he was the first winner of the R2 000.

Their game started in September last year, and continued without hitch until February this year, when it was Nkapai’s turn to take Stemela’s R1 000 for the third time – but Stemela was nowhere to be found.

In court, Stemela explained he had gone to a funeral in the Eastern Cape, and that his vehicle had broken down on the way back. He had used Nkapai’s money to help pay for a reconditioned engine.

Stemela lamented: “When I got back, he said I owe him R1 000, and I said I don’t owe him nothing. I said when I get money, he will get his money.

“I told him he’s not supposed to bring me to court – we are supposed to negotiate.

“It’s my turn to give him R1 000, but I still got problems. Maybe I can give him in a few months time.”

Stemela added: “If he wants to stop playing, I will go to court to claim R1 000 from him.”.

Stemela was indignant about being dragged to court. He said there was no reason why they should not continue their game, nor could he understand why Nkapai wanted to stop the gooi-gooi.

Commissioner de Wet explained to Stemela: “You owe him R1 000 to make it square. As matters stand, Nkapai has paid R3 000, while you have only paid R2 000.”

She urged Stemela to pay urgently, “so that you can become friends again”.

Nkapai wanted Stemela to pay the money to the court instead of directly to himself, and lamented: “I don’t feel safe, because if I go to his place he might shoot me.”

Stemela replied: “No, you must not think like that – I can also say lots about you.”

Then Stemala told the court: “He says he’s not safe, but he collected four guys to kill me. I will pay because I don’t want to come to court again.”

The commissioner gave Stemela until the end of the month to pay, and added: “You must make friends again.”