Another good read by Phathutshedzo

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Following the success of her first novel, “Pfuramathupho”, which was published in 2022 and received global critical acclaim, Phathutshedzo Netshivhulana has published yet another novel, titled “Tshamato”. The book was published in January and, like her previous book, was translated into English under the title “The Price of Sin”.

The new book is a fictional story about a hardworking farmer, Tshamato, who is never satisfied with what he harvests, and he ends up stealing other people’s maize at night. His actions ultimately anger God, Who turns him into a monster animal. Thus, Tshamato lives as an animal for six years. Then he confesses his sins and begs for forgiveness in front of everyone, and immediately after this heartfelt confession, he transforms back into a human being. When sowing season arrives again, Tshamato works on his farm and harvests plenty of corn. Everyone is surprised to see Tshamato, who was known to be ungrateful and hard to please, satisfied at last with the yields of his farm. For the first time, they see him happy.

“The story highlights the extreme dangers of dissatisfaction and discontentment. If Tshamato had not been so greedy, he would never have suffered the consequences as he did. But he learned his lesson the hard way and changed his ways,” Netshivhulana said.

Besides being an award-winning author, Netshivhulana is also a performing poet who won the Lesedi Publishers Virtual Poetry Competition in 2020. She also won the Best Poet award by Unique Me at the Vhavenda Acknowledgement Awards in 2021.

In July 2023, “Pfuramathupho” received high praise at the sixth African Honouree Author’s Awards. The novel was also recommended by the Gauteng Department of Education for secondary learners that same year.

Netshivhulana can be followed on Facebook (Phathutshedzo Netshivhulana).

By: Elmon Tshikhudo

Elmon Tshikhudo started off as a photographer. He developed an interest in writing and started submitting articles to local as well as national publications. He became part of the Limpopo Mirror family in 2005 and was a permanent part of the news team until 2019.