iGoli Dreams

by Anelile Gibixego

Nqobile, a young woman journeys through Johannesburg in pursuit of not only gold but also love. Will she find both? Or will the cost be too much to bear?

Nqobile is a young modern worm who wants to follow her own dreams, not that of her parents.

Leaving everything she knows, she goes to Johannesburg to live with a long lost aunt and start a career in marketing at an up and coming company. She believes she has it made but little does she know that she is going to experience something that every woman shouldn't - abuse.

Can she overcome this terrible experience to emerge victorious and stronger?

268 pages, Paperback

First published November 1, 2018

About the author

Anelile Mandisa Dlamini Gibixego is originally from Pietermaritzburg. She is a mom. She is an environmentalist specialising in aquatic health by profession, a network builder and a writer. She identifies herself as an eco-feminist which embodies the oppression of nature within the oppression of women.

Reviews

[Lorraine · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ngobile's story has to be read by every young man and woman. It is compelling, believable and steeped in reality. Nqobile came to the bright lights of Johannesburg, not only against her parents' wishes but, they didn't know that she was planning to disappear, to find her pot of gold. Armed with an honours degree and chutzpah, she arrived in Johannesburg and stayed with a relative.

Swept off her feet by a charming wealthy, good-smelling and well-endowed older man, she became the IT girl. She quickly moved out of her relatives' home and moved in to an upmarket home of her paramour. Pampered as a cherished lover should be, her life turned into a muddy nightmarish mess. Working on herself, picking up the pieces, she slowly sheds the doe-eyed look and grows into a confident and an empowered young black woman.

This is Anelile Gigixego's first attempt at a full-on novel. The story is one which needs to be told every day. Shouted from the rooftops. It took me 6 days to read this 268 pager because I battled. Whoever was proofreading this book, did not do justice to it. If you are going to write in English, please get an English-speaking reader to proofread your manuscript. The other major hindrance to my reading flow was the grammar, punctuation and tenses. Past and present tenses DO NOT GO TOGETHER in the same sentence. Future tense, present participle and past participle in one sentence gave the narration a schizophrenic outlook (This is not meant to diminish mental illness at all). A few times I wasn't sure who the narrator was anymore. Can we mention the point of view!!!! This is Ngqobile's story. Told from Nqobile's point of view. There were some characters who spoke from the first person and it was not in a dialogue. This is what my husband said: "Remove yourself from the English in the book and view it as it is packaged for the intended audience". I did that but, these things I mentioned seriously disturbed the flow of the story and caused major interruptions. More than that, the many stops and gos meant that a couple of times, the essence of the story was lost to me. Diction. Diction is not just words. I am all for learning new words. Actually, I appreciate books more when I can go away with a new word. Some words were misplaced. Sounded wrong for the text and I had to look them up. Decolonizing literature is a major important component of telling our stories in our voices but, when we misplace words, we are doing an injustic to our stories. The narrative becomes distorted.

What I found exciting about " igoli dreams" was its relevancy to young black girls in 2018; our daughters, nieces and our friends' daughters, who have the added pressure of showing that they've "made it", end up in life-threatening situations. Everyday themes of domestic violence, sexual abuse, sexual assault, rape, flossing, slaying, feminism, misogyny and patriarchy were laid bare in the narrative because we live them. It's our reality. Whether you are in the rurals, townships or suburbias. The other theme which had me pondering on it a few times was the damage that (us) parents inflict on our children, always assuming that our children's lives are ours to dictate to. Damaging. Bloody damaging.

There were about 10 moments of brilliant, insightful writing. I literally had to stop and catch my breath. Middle of page 202 has the most beautiful soliloquy I've come across in a year or so.

There were a handful of words I found insulting and derogatory like referring to a race group as "Neanderthals" and young women as "broads" and was subsequently very disappointed in the author. There are many instances of the author's awareness and understanding of feminist politics and feminist outlook in Nqobile's story and the few times a deprecatory word came up, it somewhat nullified the narrator's view points. When will these patriarchal hallmarks disappear from our vocabulary???

The ending, Anelile, screams "Book 2 Unloading...". I will be waiting.

Congratulations, mntase. An admirable first book

#ErengPublishedAuthorMoNgwaneng

[Zinhle Ngidi · Rating 4 out of 5]

After she completed her BCom in Economics plus an Honours degree from UCT, Nqobile originally from Inanda KZN, later joined the masses of South Africans that come to eGoli to dig their own pot of gold.

When her parents (her stepfather to be specific) disowned her because she wanted to chase her dream in the marketing environment in Jhb against his wishes, she was rescued by her aunt who accommodated her in Katlehong.
Nqobile a well educated, vibrant and promising to be very successful in her career falls for a very rich guy who is 10 years older than her.
Like most of blessers, they change your lifestyle within a wink of an eye and you find yourself trapped in their web of lies and abuse. When Noko (the blesser) convinced her to move in with her she thought she had found a man of her dreams. When the abuse started, she stayed like most of victims of abuse. By the way abuse escalates on daily basis, started with hot slap across her face, it moved to raped, to kicking, to throwing her on the wall etc

Get this book not only for yourself but for your daughters too. They need to read this, they need to understand what is out there waiting for them. They need to know that there are vultures out there who are preying on their innocence, who have serious monies that will elevate them to serious apartments only to be kicked and raped on daily basis and be reduced to nothing. That these filthy rich things can be heartless and controlling. You live according to their rules, as you swipe those black cards you come back to a man that will open your legs even when you do not feel like it.

I liked this story because the author did not choose an uneducated girl from a village to end up a victim which then says everyone no matter the class can be a victim of abuse from these damaged-filthy rich men out there. Though you can be ambitious and goal oriented young girl they have power to make the journey and the process quicker for you and you see blessings until they show you their true colours

I loved the way the author described Johannesburg CBD especially the activities in Noord taxi rank- she takes you there through her words. Very descriptive...together with this was location conversations of baby mamas and baby daddies (you know those township bicycle nton nton, the stories in those township salons- those cracked me up)

The story addresses very important themes like our justice system, patriarchal system, domestic violence, rape, assault, feminism, etc.

Anelile, when I read the last sentence of your book, I saw book 2 loading, unless my book has missing pages ke, angazi
Thank you so much, a very educational yet easy to read book. It was a page turner for me though some areas were deep and hectic. You were very open when describing all types of abuse in your book. I could visualize Noko throwing her on the floor and other forms of abuse. Your poems that you kept on throwing were very touching. I could label you as a feminist, well if you are not, that was projected very well in your book or very well researched.

As we wait to hear what Mr Delicious’s wife want from Nqobile, sizolinda.

[Claire Hondo · Rating 4 out of 5]

I started this book around 8 pm yesterday evening and by midnight was done(it was such an easy to read page turner plus taking a break from the complex Chimamanda and my academic stuff).
The book is a story of Nqobile a Durban girl who comes to Joburg the city of gold for an internship program at a marketing firm, the misfortunes she incurred and the repercussions of it all.
I loved her relationship with Sphesihle which was a clearly defined situationship and the sex of it 👌🏾👌🏾👌🏾 Anelile you have a vivid mind that you beautifully penned down(love your brain). Then comes Mr delicious Noko, I loved this guy in the beginning the way he swept our gal off her feet-it was too good to be true indeed no wonder Nqo was scarred(she loved it how different it was from anything she had ever experienced but it was just too perfect) and dude just had to go show his true colors.
I enjoyed how the book got to address other issues on the background of the main story line-kinda like how Chimamanda does it the structure of it not the depth- addresses familial relationships and fallouts; feminism and it’s impact; religion; rape and justice system to mention a few.
The ending though, the suspense of it mara why.

[Nomusa Zungu · Rating 5 out of 5]

i wanted to give myself enough time to read and enjoy Anelile's novel, and i must say i was blown away at how descriptive she was, her words made me travel back to the days i was that KZN girl experiencing Noord Taxi rank every morning and afternoon, i could literally smell it.
we all have a Nqobile in us, although i wish i was half as confident at her age, but it was refreshing to become her,it was such a naughty but nice experience to be sexually liberated through her encounters also.it was my first time reading a book and feeling emotionally drained for the character, i cried myself to sleep and those tears came back in the morning when i resumed my reading, id often wake up at 3am and pick up iGoli dreams because i could not let Nqobile go through the motions alone.a reminder at how some things are just too good to be true and how we should never dim our own lights down, to stay true to ourselves, Life is not always roses so you learn to pick yourself up and never give up,i cant wait to sit and discuss our experiences about this read. i have definitely recommended it to my friends.

Thank you Anelile Gibigexo and may you continue to be fearless in your journey as an author,

[Slindile Maphumulo · Rating 4 out of 5]

iGoli Dreams led us to a world not know by many, the whoring world....wow! a good read!

[Fiona · Rating 5 out of 5]

You are talented miss🥰❤️