What is the appeal of sitting in a kind of bar, staring into a computer screen?Swapna Prabhakaran investigated Internet cafs
Looking for a lounge where they serve real coffee, where the music alternatively spins between kwaito and techno? Or would you rather sip sherry at a nice cosy cabaret?
You can do all that and more at your local Internet caf. Lose your preconceived idea that it’s all about a darkened room catering to square-eyed computer geeks with no social skills. South African Internet cafs are shedding their sluggy image, and emerging as valuable hang-out joints, offering much, much more than just a chance to surf for porn.
Off Raleigh Streeet in Yeoville, lurking on the top floor of a funky-bright building, is the Milky Way Caf. The owner, Bruce Gillespie, is a techno-junkie who claims his caf was “the first one in Africa”.
Weekdays, the Internet caf serves the people who want access to the information superhighway. But, on Friday nights, it becomes a sort of night club, hosting DJs who play the “spin-out” sessions after 8pm.
This is then webcast to the world “over Telkom wires”, real-time and live. “We’ve got a different vibe every weekend. Depends on the DJ. It’s very experimental,” says Gillespie. “We’ve had drum’n’bass, techno and kwaito nights.”
Best part about it? There’s damn fine coffee, connectivity only costs R10 an hour, and there’s no cover charge.
“We’re not in this for the money,” says Gillespie. “If I had any kind of business acumen, I’d have closed up a long time ago.” Gillespie makes his money off a computer- programming business next door. “This place is just a fun thing, gives people a chance to get exposed to the Internet.” And have a good time while they’re doing it. It’s a cross between a nightclub and a library, there’s a culture happening here.
“This whole technology thing, it’s in the hands of the wealthy. More and more rich young kids who have the Internet at home are getting an advantage. This Internet caf gives access to those who aren’t as privileged. It’s empowering to the black community,” Gillespie says.
A few suburbs away, in leafy Westdene, the newly established Westdene Internet Bistro and Theatre Caf has picked up a very different following using a very different lure.
With a cabaret stage, seating for 57 and a fully functional bar, it looks more like a pub than your average Internet caf. “That’s why we call it a bistro,” says part-owner Steven van der Merwe. Some regulars only come in for drinks after work, and others only come in to use the computers, but for the most part, it’s an an easy mix between the two.
“Friendships are formed here,” says Van der Merwe. “We offer culture and a meeting spot for people of the same interests.” Live bands play here, and every now and then a stand-up comedian gives a show. “Over the next few weeks we’ve got Little Sister playing, and a show called You Are What You Is by Johan Bothma.”
The rest of the time, the music is easy listening jazz, laidback notes with a lot of soul. There’s a crowd here all week round.
The other half of the Bistro partnership is Neville Thomas, who has a parrot called Tallulah sitting on his shoulder.
“People who are not used to the Internet are very scared of Internet cafs,” he says “They think, `O God, that’s a computer room,’ and they change gear and zoom away. But once they’ve tried it, they’re hooked. They come in for the vibe.”
But there’s a lot more happening than just the vibe. The people who come in here during the daytime to use the Internet facilities are either tourists who need to access their e- mail or professionals who need to use a computer with a fast connection. The caf provides a full service of electronic mailboxes and web design, and also has a scanner and colour printer. Van der Merwe and Thomas also have “big plans” to build a massive site and database for the South African entertainment industry.
In both these Internet cafs there’s not one geeky computer nerd in sight. There’s no one conspicuously bookmarking porn sites, and there’s not much gaming going on either. The users are browsing, e-mailing, chatting or working on word processors. There’s an easy flow of conversation and drinks.
“These people are not just passing trade, they’re here specifically to do things,” says Gillespie. “These people are here with a purpose.”
And they’ll keep coming back for more.
`Why I use an i-caf’
Margaret, 44: “I use it for e-mail, and to do research for my Masters. I use it about three times a week.”
Anka, 28:”This has become a very important social point of my life. I’ve met very interesting people here and forged great friendships.”
Pierre, 35:”I look at the international stock prices on the Internet. They’re updated regularly and it’s cheaper to use a browser than it is to phone overseas every day.”
Robin, 22:”I used to be an Internet programmer. Then I got into Midi software and stuff, and now I make techno music. That’s what I do, I generate techno.”
Babek, 26:”I’m doing research. I use the Internet to communicate with people. I have a Hotmail account, so I check my mail here too.”
Itumeleng, “twentysomething”:”My computer’s kaput, man, so I come here. I don’t use the Internet much, though. I come here to type letters.”
Carlo, “also twentysomething”:”I also come here to type letters. I’m not a very technical person, and I don’t know anything about the Internet. It seems to be more about American stuff. If it was about African stuff, I’d use it more.”