God, Spies and Lies: Finding South Africa’s future through its past

by John Matisonn

An insider’s account of how South Africa got to where it is today – and how things went wrong. It takes you into the room with Nelson Mandela and Thabo Mbeki, into the Oval Office of the US President and the British Prime Minister’s Chequers country estate, as the fate of southern Africa was being set before and after 1994. MONG ITS REVELATIONS ARE: How Nelson Mandela studied the Afrikaner Broederbond as he set up the military wing, Umkhonto we Sizwe in 1961 • The apartheid spy who fooled the white liberal elite • What made George Bush Senior change his mind about white rule in southern Africa • How Robert Mugabe fooled Mbeki’s intelligence • Why South Africa missed the Information Economy • How Jacob Zuma came under the spell of the Chinese Communist Party • What the 2015 student protests mean • What it would take to get the country back on track

611 pages, Kindle Edition

Published December 7, 2015

Reviews

[Daine Ramnath · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book to a large extent explores the history of journalism through a South African context. In so doing he dissects many future-shaping events of the past in an immaculately well researched book.

Matisonn goes a long way to illustrate the failures of the past and present. In so doing he does not underestimate the potential of the future in South Africa, should the country find leadership capable of elevating the complex society in which South Africans find themselves.

It is highly informative, I believe, for anybody across a wide spectrum, particularly for South Africans, young or old.

[Geoffrey Abrams · Rating 3 out of 5]

The history of our (South Africa) newspapers, journalism and their influence on government of the day is quite enlightening.

[Claudia Majetich · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent.

[David Smith · Rating 5 out of 5]

Bravo John Matisonn! I knew I would like this book, but it exceeded expectations. This is a no punches pulled insider look at where and how the rot set in over the 40 years Matisonn has been chronicling events in South Africa to locals as well as to the world in general. But it's not all bad news - there are shining lights as well as common sense suggestions on how to turn the ship around. I think of John Matisonn as a sort of Bantu Holomisa of words - a man who values truth. A room that is far too small can hold most of the people with this sort of qualification. Solutions are found by recognising what the problem is. Go buy a copy now.

[The Contented · Rating 5 out of 5]

A 5 star review does not mean that I endorse every single point made, although I did find this to be a very worthwhile read. Oh, I also reached my reading goal for the year. The rest is really for fun.

[Gugu Maduna · Rating 5 out of 5]

There are so many skeletons behind each political leader or governments. But its the norm that governments and politicians spy and tell lies against one another.