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Tshivenda novel Murabeli launched in Johannesburg

Read: 2082

Phathutshedzo Mamafha, who authored Restoring Humanity some years ago, has just published a Tshivenda novel, Murabeli, that was recently launched at the Johannesburg City Library.

Based on the author's real-life experiences, Murabeli tells the story of a young girl whose mother died when she was still very young. She grows up living with her father and paternal grandmother. When her father brings home a new wife who comes along with two children of her age, Murabeli is happy that she now has a 'mother' and siblings.

However, the 'mother' turns out to be a monster who also encourages her two children to abuse Murabeli.

“Murabeli cannot understand her painful situation in that when she looks around to families where there are new 'mothers' or new 'fathers', she sees unity, harmony and peace,” Mamafha said. “This only tells that while there are bad stepmothers, there are also good stepmothers on the other hand.”

The trials and tribulations that Murabeli has to face are many, and she devotes herself to God through the assistance of prayerful people around her, and that is how she manages to have focus in life.

“Murabeli is not the only character in the book, so there's more to the story than just Murabeli,” he said. “People will surely enjoy reading this book.”

As for motivation, the author quoted Trevor Noah, who said that the “limit of your imagination will determine how far you can go”.

He said the launch had gone very well. “Speakers such as Mpho Ramathuthu, Richard Rambau and Pastor Matamela Muvhango, on behalf of Apostle (Dr) NA Mudau, addressed the issues tackled in the book and other social matters.”

Murabeli is published by Vhakololo Press, a publishing company aiming to publish 15 books in Tshivenda by June 2020. In manuscript form, Murabeli was named finalist in the Sanlam Prize for Youth Literature 2017.

Mamafha is available on Facebook and can be reached on 072 103 6902. Murabeli costs R150 directly from the author.

 

 
 

The author, Phathutshedzo Mamafha (right), was photographed shortly after the launch with reader and event organiser Oluga Carrol Manukha. 

 

By: Tshifhiwa Mukwevho

Tshifhiwa Given Mukwevho was born in 1984 in Madombidzha village, not far from Louis Trichardt in the Limpopo Province. After submitting articles for roughly a year for Limpopo Mirror's youth supplement, Makoya, he started writing for the main newspaper. He is a prolific writer who published his first book, titled A Traumatic Revenge in 2011. It focusses on life on the street and how to survive amidst poverty. His second book titled The Violent Gestures of Life was published in 2014.

 

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