Jacques Pauw - Rat Roads: One Mans Incredible Journey

P RAISE FOR J ACQUES P AUWS PREVIOUS BOOKS

In the Heart of the Whore:
The Story of Apartheids Death Squads

This book promises to become one of the most important documents in our history

former President Nelson Mandela at the book launch

A book of astonishing investigative journalism

Ken Owen, former editor: Sunday Times

Into the Heart of Darkness:
Confessions of Apartheids Assassins

Its because of journalists like Jacques that we know so much about apartheids atrocities Theres not many like him

Nobel Laureate Desmond Tutu at the book launch

Extraordinary in many respects. His book has inestimable value for anyone seeking to find out more about Apartheids dark heart

Mail & Guardian

Dances with Devils: A Journalists Search for Truth

This is an astonishing book this is a must-not-miss read

Clive Simpkins, communications strategist

A testimony of our time. Pauw is a polished story teller

Mail & Guardian

Little Ice Cream Boy

A cracking good read enthralling

Sunday Independent

A book so forceful that it went on to my annual list as one of the novels of the year

The Star

One of my top ten books of the year

Sunday Times

Well written and well constructed, this is a book that shocks and disturbs on a variety of levels

Natal Witness

This is his first novel and one wants to say More! More, because where this one comes from, there must be many more

Rapport

Published by Zebra Press
an imprint of Random House Struik (Pty) Ltd
Reg. No. 1966/003153/07
Wembley Square, First Floor, Solan Road, Gardens, Cape Town, 8001
PO Box 1144, Cape Town, 8000, South Africa

www.zebrapress.co.za

Publication Zebra Press 2012
Text Jacques Pauw 2012

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced,
stored in a retrieval system or transmitted, in any form or by any means,
electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise,
without the prior written permission of the copyright owners.

PUBLISHER : Marlene Fryer

MANAGING EDITOR : Robert Plummer

EDITOR : Bronwen Leak

PROOFREADER : Lisa Compton

TEXT DESIGNER : Jacques Kaiser

TYPESETTER : Monique van den Berg/
Monique Oberholzer

INDEXER : Sanet le Roux

ISBN 978 1 77022 337 0 (print)
ISBN 978 1 77022 338 7 (ePub)
ISBN 978 1 77022 339 4 (PDF)

Since witnessing the genocide in Rwanda in 1994, Ive been somewhat obsessed with the events and people in that country. I went back again and again and wolfed down book after book about the once godforsaken place that was elevated to screaming headlines courtesy of the massacre of 800 000 people in the autumn of 1994. Most of these books focused on the horrible demise of the victims, the torment of the survivors and the cruelty of the genocidaires. I always felt that there was another story to tell; the chronicle of just one person, not necessarily a perpetrator who had wielded a machete or a survivor who had no family left or a journalist on a voyeuristic quest, but just someone with a personal story to tell.

Then Kennedy Gihana drifted into my life, seventeen years after the slaughter. I listened to him for a few hours at the beginning of 2011 and, before the summer sun had sunk into Pretorias skyline, I knew I wanted to write this book. It was in many ways the story Id been waiting for. Not only did his spell-binding narrative encompass Rwanda, Burundi, Uganda and South Africa, but it was a story of hope, survival and perseverance, speckled with the weakness, malice and goodness of mankind.

What followed was one of the most inspiring but also challenging endeavours of my professional life. It was not, however, a quest I would have forgone for anything. It has left me much wiser and more insightful about the human psyche.

I dedicate this book to Kennedy, for his honesty and bravery and for baring his soul to me, however difficult it was at times. For the many out there who are trapped in cycles of poverty, powerlessness, violence, hardship and repression, I hope you find courage and inspiration in his story.

I also owe gratitude to the countless people who gave me their time and imparted their knowledge and experiences. Some are mentioned and quoted; others preferred to remain anonymous. Many were Rwandan and they came with wide smiles and warm hearts.

This book has taken more out of me than any I have written before among others because I had to write it while working full-time and the person who had to cope with my writers moods (i.e. erratic behaviour) was my partner Sam Rogers. This is the third book Ive written during our decade-long relationship and every time she swears: Never again; next time I might just leave you. Thank God she hasnt yet, which is why I dedicate this book also to her. She once again had to endure countless research trips, compromised weekends and the bedside light flickering to life every morning at four or five.

There were many others who encouraged, inspired, understood and advised. I owe all of you so much, especially friend Sue de Groot who read and author Mike Nicol who advised.

The research for this book and its writing were partly funded by a grant from the Taco Kuiper Fund for Investigative Journalism at the Department of Journalism at Wits University. A special word of thanks to Anton Harber.

Ive published four books with four different publishers. With this one, I went back to the best one Ive had. Thank you to everyone at Zebra Press, especially to managing editor Robert Plummer for pulling this book together and holding me to deadlines, and editor Bronwen Leak for her attentive editing and words of encouragement.

Towards the finishing of this book, I was informed that my friend and compatriot of many decades, who has shared so much of my treasured and scariest moments in God-forgotten places, has been diagnosed with a dreadful illness. I know he is going to fight it with courage and resolve, and therefore I also dedicate this book to Jan de Klerk.

JACQUES PAUW
SEPTEMBER 2012

The day starts like any other, with Kennedy Gihana rising before the crack of dawn. He wraps himself in his cloth, grabs his stick and darts off to milk the cows. He then walks a kilometre down into the valley to fetch water. On his return, he gulps down a chunk of cassava with milk and washes himself. When Grandma is satisfied that her boy is squeaky clean, she gives him a white shirt and shorts to put on. Kennedy has waited until his eleventh birthday to wear, as he puts it, proper clothes for the first time. And it is only because this day is special. Today he is going to school. Grandpa has told him he can only attend school two days a week. The other three days he has to look after the cows. Shortly after six, Kennedy sets off barefoot and runs the seven kilometres to school. Across the waves of mounts, cavities and rivulets, people resemble ants as they engage in their daily chores. The boy is like a hare, meandering the well-worn