I have no idea who Dratlock is. It may not even be someone's name, nickname, or callsign. Does anybody have an idea as to who or what it is?
I've posted photos of graffiti in Cape Town before, mostly of mural art rather than instances of vandalism. The reality is that just like any city ours has its fair share of graffiti that is not always the most appealing or artistic type. Plenty of tax money ends up being spent on cleaning up the mess instead of on improvement projects, or benefiting the community in some way. The City of Cape Town is however in the process of drafting a by-law to address graffiti. The by-law will put in place a graffiti unit that will focus on the problem and be in a position to lay civil and criminal charges against offenders.
I remember years ago when we visited Sydney my nephew mentioned that kids under 18 aren't allowed to buy spraypaint at all... and in fact may not be in the possession of such unless in the presence of an adult! This law is much like the law that prevents kids in South Africa from buying cigarettes. The reality is that many kids under 18 manage to buy smokes anyway, so I don't believe limiting who may buy spraypaint would be very effective. In fact, it would have totally sucked if this law were in place in South Africa when I was younger. I remember buying loads of paint in my youth to spray everything from skateboards to science projects, and even shoes! Seriously.
If you are an artist, then don't worry too much. It seems as though the by-law will cater for graffiti artists, providing areas for them to express their art... which I must say, is often just astounding.
