Mandy's book of the week: Now You Know How Mapetla Died

Mandy Wiener spoke to author Zikhona Valela about her book and why she chose this story to share.

If you are looking for something new to read and want to learn more about South Africa’s past and the activists who gave their lives for our country, try Now You Know How Mapetla Died: The Story of a Black Consciousness Martyr.

Mandy Wiener spoke to author Zikhona Valela about her book and why she chose this story to share.

The book looks into the life and story of Mapetla Mohapi who was a black consciousness activist and the first to die in detention in 1976 when he was only 28.

After his death the police released an alleged suicide note which was later confirmed to be a forgery.

Valela did not only write about his activism and death, but also into the story of his wife, Nohle Mohape, and her fight for answers and justice.

Valela said she found it important to look at activists who are often overlooked in history because they were not based in big cities.

The narrative that was front and centre was that of activists in the big cities … and for me it was important to expand our narrative to spaces that are often marginalised.

Zikhona Valela, author

To find out more, listen to the full audio below.

This article first appeared on 702 : Mandy's book of the week: Now You Know How Mapetla Died

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