Sabatha : the begetter

by Nelly Page Magwaza

The man didn’t give us any instructions. He said everything is up to me and asked that we step out and allow more serious seekers to come in. “I'm not sure who you are anymore,” Mbuso says. I was hoping that we'd drive home in peace. I need time to process everything the man has just told me. “Not now Shenge. Don't put me on the stand now. I need to do what I'm supposed to do before things get out of control,” I say. “Her catching a random bullet, was it because of your darkness?” He's staring at me. Talk about kicking the dog when it's already down!“ I don't know,” I say. “You don't know, Sabatha? Everything has consequences. You go around killing people and fucking new widows and you think it won't affect you? Then you associate yourself with that innocent girl and rub everything onto her? Now you don't know how we do things in our culture? A piece of paper from UniZulu has made you forget who you are and how you should carry yourself? Huh?” I'm not having this conversation now. I understand that he's disappointed and angry. But we are on the road for fuck’ sake, there's time and place for everything. He starts and switches off the engine. He's not done lashing out on me. “Whose blood is in your hands?” “Samkelo Myeni. I killed him, he didn't fall off the stairs,” I say.

284 pages, Paperback

Published April 1, 2021

Reviews

[Nomcebo · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sabatha Buthelezi, an engineer in his mid twenties from Ndulinde meets the shy girl with a beautiful voice, Ahlobile. He was taken by her, the girl who has always been overshadowed by her big sister. Like a love at first sight type of things, they both had that instant connection. What happens when they choose was explore their feelings for each other? Is their love strong enough to stand against all odds?

I got the chills so many times towards the end of this book. It completely blew my mind, surpassed all my expectations and became nothing like I expected. Apologies if I sound inarticulate at times in this review I can't help it my mind has been blown away.

The first parts of the book I was saddened at how Sabatha would find Solace in the person he has recently met. He wasn't expecting her to say or do anything her presence was enough. He was drowning in his sorrows and nobody was paying attention I even felt like maybe it was because he was a man everyone was kind of expecting him to suck it up and keep it moving.
Those parts showed me that ok let me get a copy of my heart because the original won't survive this.
Sabatha was a closed off and a weird character as Ahlobile may put it. You could tell he wanted to speak up sometimes but at the same time it was like he was holding back.

The book is an eye-opener and it brings out a lot of issues; The things people go through in the name of love, emotionally distant parents.
From how Ahlobile's mother's life was messed up because of love to all the things Ahlobile went through because of Sabatha. He was a good boyfriend to her yes but his ignorance put me off. It is safe to say the pain he brought to Ahlobile made me dislike him.
Her mother; a part of me felt her pain but at times I felt like she was too much. How do you drag a child from school just for a jug of imfulamfula? She was hurt by her husband kodwa abantwana bona benzeni?

In the book you'll find different themes, love, miscarriages, grief and others but Sabatha's ignorance touched me. Why kill a person and then continue living your life like everything is ok? No cleansing? Nothing? A piece of paper from varsity made him forget his beliefs and customs or working for white people made him adopt their practices? He saw what his family did to his brother when he killed a man but ignored everything and acted when things started going south. Like what most people do, they would rather cure then prevent. Lol ok I'm ranting right now, let me stop.

I loved how the characters were created and how the story was built up. They felt like real people which I was able to relate to some of them in the book. The scenes, Oh My! I could picture most of them and I even heard those deja vu moments whilst reading others.(Yeah the book was that good!)

The parts I will never forget is when Sabatha met up with Ahlobile after giving the guitar away. I could feel his emotions and pain, I still disliked him though but the guy was in pain and I felt that.
The part that I found funny was when his uncle asked him that "aren't you too young for the problems you are facing?" I legit laughed during that part because that question was very much necessary. He was young with problems twice his age. Impilo ibimdlalisa irough serious. As a begetter, He begot!

This book wasn't predictable at all. I enjoyed it a lot. It was a humorous drama-filled book but yet so educative on social issues. You cry, laugh and hold your breath whilst reading it. A page turner with over 280 pages that I finished in a few hours.

A part of me is happy about the ending
but the dramatic one isn't happy because I feel like he got away with a lot of things. But then we don't always get what we want. I have a lot to say about this book, one review isn't gonna do any justice, It needs an entire book club so for now let me stop here.

[Bongi Ntuli · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very good book. Thank you

[Paleaa · Rating 5 out of 5]

It's a very relatable book