His real name is Thivhusiwi Tshindane Tshivhula, but he is widely known by his stage name, Gabriel. After a hiatus of five months, Tshindane has made a strong return with a new book. His Tshivenda drama, Zwidzidzivhadzi muxedzi wa ndila, hit the shelves of local bookshops on Monday, 12 May.
His last publication was a poetry collection titled A bve hu dzhene nnyi, which was released in December last year. Like all his previous works, A bve hu dzhene nnyi quickly became a favourite among poetry lovers. In his new book, Tshindane aims to highlight the dangers of drug abuse, particularly among the youth.
Although he has published several books before, Tshindane believes this latest release could cement his name among the country's top authors. The book spans 218 pages and, according to Tshindane, has sold about 150 copies within the first seven days of its release.
In 2023, Tshindane won a South African Literary Award at a ceremony held at the North West University auditorium in Potchefstroom. The year before, the resident of Lutomboni village in the Nzhelele Valley was also honoured at the launch of the Alkebulan Authors' Platform at the Protea Hotel Marriot in Polokwane, where he received a R50,000 cheque for his work, Hone hu tshi tea u maliwa nga vhugai, which had been published earlier that year.
Some of Tshindane's previous titles include Ngoho kha I ambiwe, Na rine ri vhathu and Ndi mushumo u ne kha lino ndi khou lilesa.