Lesotho celebrates independence from Britain. Lesotho is one of the smallest countries in the world, with just over 30 000 km2 of land. It has a population of approximately two million. The country gained its independence from Britain on 4 October 1966. The day has become known as Lesotho’s National Day and is celebrated yearly. Lesotho is the only country in the world that entirely lies above 1000 metres in elevation. It is also unique in being one of a few countries that are completely surrounded by another country. The Lesotho government is a constitutional monarchy.
In the first hour we have in studio South African author Nomavenda of the book Eyes In The Night- An untold Zulu Story. She shares with us that the book is about her grandmother and she was told her granny’s story by her sister, however she wrote the book trying to use her grandmother voice but her publisher told her that her voice is missing.
She continued to say “I had to go and research about my culture because I was a Christian i knew so little about my culture and in writing this book I learned a lot which really made me angry at one point that I missed being a Zulu girl, I grew up in the township and did not even get the chance to know stories of my grandmother until I was 63 years old.
It is very important to read this book, as you know our history has been passed on from generation to generation so this books does that it tells us the untold stories of how Zulus and not only Zulus but our grandparents were treated in the hands of the English, It draws on our history.
“The time has come for us to write our own stories, we have went to school and know how to write so it is time to write about our great leaders.” She says
It was a blessing to write this book now because I’m wiser now, I am factual and I write what you can take unlike if I had written it back in the days when we were still fighting” she continued to say.
She has written two more books but she says those were actually article that told the “Life in the Township” the boycotts, the fight and all that happened in Soweto. She added to say the legacy she wants to leave behind is the “culture of questioning” ask ourselves about our background, culture and even the little things.
You can find the book at Exclusive Books and CNA
