The boy with the guitar by Mabonchi Goodwill Motimele
(Maskew Miller Longman) R69,95
This youth novel starts with the character Paseka, who tries desperately to help his grandmother after the death of his mother. He moves from a village in Limpopo, where he grew up, to a shack in Diepsloot and walks the streets of Jo’burg looking for odd jobs.
One day, at the pick-up point, Paseka is selected by a man named Anthony, who is so impressed by his hard work that he offers him a job at his Black Stars Club. Now Paseka earns enough money to be able to move to a block of flats in Hillbrow, where he meets Nicole.
Paseka loves his guitar. “My Darling” was left to him by his grandfather and he often strums along to songs on the radio. As Nicole is a good singer, they practise together.
Anthony gives them the opportunity to entertain at the club and, at first, they are hardly noticed. It is not long, though, before people start taking notice and they become well-known and firm favourites.
But then, one day, the police raid the club and because of his dark skin, Paseka is mistaken for an illegal immigrant and arrested. Despite his protests, he is transported via train and truck across the border to Maputo, where he ends up in a holding cell with convicted prisoners. Rhyder, feared and respected throughout the prison, protects Paseka and he becomes “Rhyder’s boy”.
Meanwhile, his grandmother and Nicole start to investigate and in the process they make some interesting discoveries.
Paseka is then asked by Rhyder to murder Trigo, the man he holds responsible for his imprisonment. In exchange, Rhyder promises to make sure that Paseka regains his freedom. But on the afternoon he has to commit the murder, he is thrown a lifeline.
I enjoyed this book a lot. It describes real-life situations in rural areas in South Africa and gave me some insight into what life is like in a village and the traditions upheld in those communities. The description of life and hardship that many South Africans have when they are separated from their families is also quite detailed.
And with the horrors of xenophobia exploding across South Africa, the plight of illegal immigrants becomes very real. With a hint of romance, this book tells of the struggles of a poor, kind, good-hearted and music-loving boy who battles to make a better life for himself and his family.
Motimele makes the feelings of sadness, anger and fear seem genuine and it kept me turning the pages. The book was, with good reason, a finalist in the 2007 Maskew Miller Longman literature awards.Aimed at grade 10 learners, it includes notes, a glossary and activities for schoolchildren.
Daniel Opperman is a grade eight learner at the Deutsche Internationale Schule in Johannesburg