Bitches' Brew

by Fred Khumalo

Joint winner of the EU Literary Award 2006

"Fred Khumalo weaves magical realism into turbulent township life in this story about passion, rage and identity in apartheid South Africa. " – Janet Heard, Femina

Bra Zakes, a former amateur musician, bootlegger, extortionist, mercenary and killer of great repute, lies dying in his luxurious villa hidden away in the undulating hills of the KwaZulu-Natal Midlands. At his bedside are his most trusted lieutenants, waiting for instructions on what to do with his crime syndicate once he is gone.

Interweaving history and memories in the tradition of village storytellers, Bitches' Brew delves into the physical and emotional turbulence that characterise the lives and affairs of Bra Zakes and Lettie as they relive the stories and experiences of their lives to reveal character, conflict, principle and, of course, love. Written with humour and poignancy, Bitches' Brew conjures up the South Africa of the twentieth century with vivid accuracy as seen through the eyes of two irrepressible and adventurous characters.

Bitches' Brew is a dramatic and powerful masterpiece that conveys the turbulent revelations of character with a complexity that is both absorbing and incredibly touching.

Genres: South Africa, Fiction, Africa

264 pages, Kindle Edition

First published April 1, 2007

About the author

Fred Khumalo is the author of the novels Bitches’ Brew, which was a joint winner of the 2006 European Union Literary Award, and Seven Steps to Heaven. His memoir, Touch My Blood, was shortlisted for the Alan Paton Prize for Non-fiction in 2007, and his most recent book, #ZuptasMustFall and Other Rants, was published in 2016. His short fiction has appeared in various anthologies, literary journals and magazines. He holds a MA in Creative Writing from the University of the Witwatersrand in Johannesburg, where he lives.

Reviews

[Richard · Rating 4 out of 5]

Slaying Them With Peace

Dear Fred,

Have you ever achieved divine climax in unison with your beloved, only to have her suddenly break out in song – West-Side-Story style – waxing lyrical about the great sex you’ve just had, the breakfast you’re about to have, the Saturday shopping that needs doing, and the kids’ dental appointments?

I hope not. But that was the feeling I got upon sipping the dregs of your otherwise highly satisfying Bitches’ Brew. I recommend this book to anyone who would like to take a ruthless ride on the lawless border between jazz and crime with a band of unforgettable brigands and molls – but only on condition that they first turn briskly to page 314 and then rip out and burn the remaining pages, including the back cover, whose blurb was born from the loathsome loins of Chapter 39. What made you do it, Fred? Why wouldn’t you let me savour the moment? Why wouldn’t you let me spend a little more head time with the wonderful characters you so skilfully moulded with great depth and detail? Lettie, Bra Zakes, Sis Jane, Bhazabhaza, Bra Viv and even Deutsche Dieter are all still dancing in my cerebral shebeen, as the Zeppelins belt out tune upon tune until dawn.

Your book was a gateway to a harsh and untamed terra incognita (which apparently existed just beyond the horizon of the sterile, white world I grew up in). This squalid and dangerous place is inhabited by men and women hell-bent on survival, seeking any opportunity to gain a little edge over others, building brittle towers of privilege that are immediately visible to others and therefore worth tearing down. A dog-eat-dog, cat-scratch-cat, stab-out-your-eye-motherfucker kind of world, with little islands of affinity and empathy here and there. Unfortunately, these little islands almost invariably consist of quicksand, making them more hazardous than bootlegging and drug peddling. And all this madness and pain is tied together by a tragic tale of unrequited love. Bitchin’!

But you couldn’t leave it there, Fred. Were you ten pages short? Was it once the intro? A synopsis? Why oh why did you have to break out the lederhosen and take us yodelling with the Von Trapps?

Fred Khumalo’s Bitches’ Brew and his latest book Seven Steps to Heaven are published by Jacana Media

[Mariaan · Rating 4 out of 5]

wow I got this book from the library, what an amazing experience to go back! the cover attracted me and the book did not disappoint. It is the story of Lettie and Bra Zakes. The writing style is very good, but this is also a very disturbing story. A lot of emotional and physical turbulence. No sugar coating here. Highly recommendable.

[Katy · Rating 4 out of 5]

A (mostly) epistolary novel, told by a tsotsi/musician, and his young lover. Interesting look at township life in South Africa during apartheid years, and beyond. Reader be warned: Lots of violence and rough language.

[Phumlani · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely Brilliant!, Fred is a writer par excellence!

[Mpho Bernadette · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a great book. I see myself reading it again in the near future. The characters are well developed and one gets to truly understand them during the course of the book. I love that the story embodies the true essence of South Africa (in its beauty and in its bad), it's people and the lives that they lead.

The book follows the story of two people who fell in love on their way from Lesotho to Durban and their love story unfolds in a series of letters which they write to each other. Lettie was a young girl who found herself pregnant after being raped by a boy who claimed to love her. She boarded a bus to Durban to start afresh and try to build a future for herself and her unborn child. During the bus ride, she sparks a conversation with Zakes, a musician who was to later become a killer, drug lord and business man. Zakes thinking that Lettie is in Durban to find the father of her child, did not tell Lettie how he feels, and moved to Johannesburg.

Theirs is a love story that stood the test of time and life changes. They missed ample opportunities to be together because of fear and lack of communication. Unfortunately when Zakes and Lettie finally did get together, the relationship did not survive but the love never faded. Zakes literally loved Lettie until the day he died in 2006 and asked to see her and their only son on his death bed.

This book kept me up all night. I could not put it down, and when I did put it down, all I could think about was the book. This was the first book I read by the author, and I anticipate that he will be one of my favourite authors. I would recommend avid readers to include it in their book collections.

[Kiks · Rating 5 out of 5]

I picked this up at the local library and finally got into to it. It was such a great read, that I finished it in one sitting and cooked dinner late. The letters are concise and really suck you into the stories both Zakes and Lettie tell. Truly, it reads like a bunch of short stories, which I found really pleasing. I even found myself invested in the lives of the other characters - especially Bhazabhaza. Ended up reading a few of the chapters out loud to my little sisters and kiki'ed over the side stories with them. It's written in a way that the story feels light, even though some parts were very heavy. The best book I've read in a very long time. Loved it. I'll probably buy a copy to own.

[Tiah]

An engaging tale between a shebeen queen and a dying gangster who harbors a love for jazz. Soothing voice that made it a pleasure to read.

[Chidi · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good work of fiction by a great writer...I am yet to read the sequel to this book. Fred Khumalo is the man

[Taylor · Rating 5 out of 5]

Brilliant literature, crude but just an excellent read. I felt like I was in an english class with an excellent teacher.

[Loyiso Lindani · Rating 2 out of 5]

A rather bland book for its author...

[Steve Grant · Rating 4 out of 5]

This work by Fred Khumalo is so embedded in the soul of the townships and the liberation of music mixed with illegality of alcohol and exploitation.

I found it confronting but insightful.

I was disappointed with the ending which I found to be unworthy of the depth of plot and personality that had been built through the majority of the preceding story.

Overall an insightful read for one who has no experience or understanding of the constant confrontation that life delivered to people living in these times in South Africa.

[Cyretha · Rating 3 out of 5]

While this is a fictional book, I believe it depicts life in South Africa during the 1960s and 1970s very authentically. It is good background information for those to understand the current South Africa. Having visited a township, I can truly understand the author's story. This book should be considered for all those wishing to have a better understanding of how cruel the Apartheid period was and see its lingering effects today in 2023.

I have read many books from author's from southern Africa and due to the comparisons with others I can't give it more than three stars.

[Carol · Rating 3 out of 5]

I found this book boring even though it came highly recommended, however I still finished it because I wanted to find out the ending of the love story/lovers. The book is basically letters between the two lovers however we /I don't know how they got about to writing to each other.

[David Smith · Rating 4 out of 5]

It was about time I read Fred. I thought I would like it and I did! Another copy is already on its way to a music fanatic friend overseas.