Powerful books by South African female writers

As we wrap up Women’s month it is pivotal we revisit some of the most powerful and thought provoking books written by incredible South African female writers. A deep dive into the country’s complex history and its current issues, these books confront the past and challenges the future by weaving stories and essays that many women can relate to.

From Dr Sindiwe Magona whose contribution and impact to South African literature is beyond compare, to Redi Thlabi and her unapologetic approach in chasing the truth. We explore voices that have shaped the narrative of South Africa, challenging societal norms and sparking crucial conversations through writing.

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Must read memoirs by 5 South African female authors

Award winning Professor Pumla Dineo Gqola has one of the most sought after minds, In Female Fear Factory she paints a bold picture that covers the construction of patriarchy. With her extensive research she busts myths and lies surrounding global patriarchal violence but also offers a hopeful vision through the eyes of an unapologetic feminist.

Living, Loving and Lying awake at night by Dr Sindiwe Magona

Published in 1991, Living, Loving and Lying Awake at Night is a collection of short stories navigating challenges women face on daily basis. From the village mother leaving her children to work; the maid in service to the white madam; the black child raped and murdered. The series revisit tragic events with slight humour that brings a full range of South African women’s experience to light.

Nokutela by Asanda Sizani

In her quest to restore forgotten archives, GLAMOUR’s former Editor In Chief, Asanda Sizani teamed up with a group of talented creatives, to bring back the life of Nokutela Mdima - Dube. The book is an ode to Nokutela’s work that went unrecognised for many years, her contribution to music, education and her fight against the apartheid regime. Nokutela Mdima-Dube was posthumously awarded South Africa's highest honour, the Order of the Baobab in Gold, for her exceptional contribution to the upliftment of African communities who were faced with oppression and social injustices.

Khwezi by Redi Thlabi

In sensitive and considered prose, journalist Redi Tlhabi breathes life into a woman for so long forced to live in the shadows. We revisit the life of Fezekile Ntsukela Khuzwayo who became public enemy number one, after accusing South Africa’s former president of sexual assault. The book is an account of Kuzwayo's life. From her childhood in exile during Apartheid to the events leading up to the rape allegations, the trial and her untimely death.

In giving agency back to Khwezi, Tlhabi is able to focus a broader lens on the sexual abuse that abounded during the ‘struggle’ years, abuse which continues to plague women and children in South Africa today.

Made in South Africa: A Black Woman's Stories Of Rage, Resistance And Progress by Lwando Xaso

Made in South Africa – A Black Woman’s Stories of Rage, Resistance and Progress is a vibrant collection of essays in which Lwando examines with incisive clarity some of the events that have shaped her experience of South Africa – a country with huge potential but weighed down by persistent racism and inequality, cultural appropriation, sexism and corruption, all legacies of a complicated history. Lwando’s writing reflects her unflinching resolve to live according to the precepts of our groundbreaking Constitution and offers a challenge to all South Africans to believe in and achieve ‘the improbable’.

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