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Spin City by Jacob Zocherman (KONTINENT)
The white BMW seems to float on clouds as it dances through the smoke-filled arena. Like an angry little bee it spins around, jerks and sets off again. The engine spits and sputters, the tires screech as the hot asphalt catches fire, leaving a trail of flames. A smell of burning rubber fills the air, covering the cheering crowd with a thin layer of dust. After a few minutes, the Beemer's tires burst and the show is over. Spinning began as a tribute at gangster funerals in South Africa's townships. When a "Tsotsi" was murdered, gang members stole a BMW and spun it in honour of the fallen comrade. Well into the 2000s, before the sport was officially recognized, township youngsters would challenge each other in fast-paced street races - with police hot on the trail. "In those days it was like 'Gone in sixty seconds,' says Selwyn Bouverie who is part of a group of spinners trying to clean up the sport_s image and distance it from the gangster roots. (Sara Assarsson)