Every now and then I enjoy a good read. I enjoy love stories with a sour ending. I hate motivational books as everyone makes it out of poverty to the big life by determination. Political books? I can do with something fresh as every topic has been overdone. We have read about apartheid. We have read about Shaka Zulu and Julius Malema, give me something I have been eager to hear like… Why is Jacob Zuma the president of South Africa?

Currently I have been reading a love anthropology book by Masingita Mzilikazi. It reminds me of the love that surrounds people. The love from family, life partner, friends, colleagues and God. It doesn’t only discuss these love conversations with you, it soothes your heart and leaves you in divine hope for a certain kind of love in the future.

Home Before February has the preface written by the singing sensation, Nothende. You get to meet her and know what love means to her and every person Mzilikazi features in the beginning of every chapter. For those of you who are poets and the lovers of spoken word, this is the book for you. The book is relevant to everyone alive, as Mzilikazi would say, “Only because love lives in the hearts of those who are alive”.

I indulged in this good read above titled, Yihlathi Leli by BD Khawula. A Zulu novel that introduced me to a life in the KwaZulu-Natal location called Kwa-Dumisa. The book is about a teenage boy called Mchithwa who comes from a rich family. Like any other learner, Mchithwa dreams of a successful career and his dream is to become a successful teacher one day. He gets desperate for help and the man who helps him introduces him to his worst enemy. He gets addicted to ‘Wunga’ a drug that is also known as Nyaope. This is a combination of a variety of drugs including the antiretrovirals. Mchithwa and his friends, Fahlaza and Nsonsothela, kept everyone in their community at their toes. Everyone feared for their lives, not only would these young boys rob patients in hospitals and local clinics of their medication but, they would also kill for it. This is not only the type of life that affects the people in Kwa-Dumisa but, young people across South Africa. You can follow their movement on facebook.com/NBJongklomp. You can get your own copy of both his books at contact Lesego at +27 78 565 9673.

I hope you enjoy these books like I did.