South Africa: Diary of Troubled Times: 7 (Focus on Issues) - Hardcover

A reader seeking fresher insights into the apartheid conundrum might wish to turn to... Nomavenda Mathiane's 'Diary of Troubled Times.' Mathiane is a black journalist, which...itself distinguishes 'Diary' from the vast majority of works about black South Africa. She doesn't have to resort to feats of the imagination to insert herself into the drama; she lives it. Her book is a vivid account of turbulent times in the townships, where life is intense, difficult and dangerous. * Newsday * A reader seeking fresher insights into the apartheid conundrum might wish to turn to... Nomavenda Mathiane's 'Diary of Troubled Times.' Mathiane is a black journalist, which...itself distinguishes 'Diary' from the vast majority of works about black South Africa. She doesn't have to resort to feats of the imagination to insert herself into the drama; she lives it. Her book is a vivid account of turbulent times in the townships, where life is intense, difficult and dangerous. * Newsday *

This volume is a fascinating collection of pieces by South African journalist Nomavenda Mathiane. Unlike much that is written about South Africa, these pieces are very personal observations and reflections based on day-to-day experiences. They range from descriptions of the horrors of 'necklacing' (the practice of placing a car tire about the body of an alleged informer or collaborator and setting it afire with gasoline), to the joy of a new birth, to the heartbreak of a mother whose son murders a neighborhood peer. Ms. Mathiane's analysis of politics and education is must reading for anyone who cares about the effects of apartheid. Her frequently pungent and controversial views have won for her an ever-widening audience in South Africa and other African countries. She deserves to be better known in other countries as well.