With most of the attention focused on farm occupations, it could be argued that relations between blacks and whites elsewhere in Zimbabwe have gone relatively unobserved. Ironically, the troubles of whites seem to have empowered sections of the black middle class. David Coltart, a prominent lawyer and opposition member of parliament, contends that race relations are good at grass roots level, with the political and economic difficulties of the past three years having drawn people together. "It's amongst the monied elite that strains begin to show," he says.