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DEAR KHETHELO
When a tribal father, Gobimpisi Mbonambi, heard these words for the first time in his house they were foreign to
him, so he rejected anything and everything that came with them. As the leader and headman of KwaShayinja
warriors, his sons were a reflection of his leadership. Why did his first son, Nzululwazi, brutally murdered him and
buried his body next to the fresh grave of his little brother? The whole country was eager to know, his trial
became the most-talked about and invited the undivided attention of a high-ranking minister with a tottering
reputation to affix.
Seven years later a student from the buzzing streets of Inanda Township, Khethelo Thabethe, is desperate to build
her profile in the Psychology industry. Luckily the House Of Hope & Recovery has been looking for volunteers, she
travels to Isithebe Industrial Estate to help victims of trauma deal with their nightmares and rebuild themselves.
Among them is the once-condemned psychopathic killer who killed his own father and buried him, for the first time
in her life Khethelo has doubts about the career path she’s chosen. He’s wearing a black hoodie that’s pulled over
his forehead, there’s a scar peeking from the bottom of his left cheek. He’s intimidating, not only because he’s too
dark with his nightmarish brown eyes, but he looks indubitably ill-natured as well. What is it going to take for him to tell his side of the story? Can she break down the walls around him?
He’s unsociable and not vocally skilled in expressing himself. But maybe there’s another way…a letter.
Dear Khethelo; The psychopathic killer pens down his life for the first time in 27 years
him, so he rejected anything and everything that came with them. As the leader and headman of KwaShayinja
warriors, his sons were a reflection of his leadership. Why did his first son, Nzululwazi, brutally murdered him and
buried his body next to the fresh grave of his little brother? The whole country was eager to know, his trial
became the most-talked about and invited the undivided attention of a high-ranking minister with a tottering
reputation to affix.
Seven years later a student from the buzzing streets of Inanda Township, Khethelo Thabethe, is desperate to build
her profile in the Psychology industry. Luckily the House Of Hope & Recovery has been looking for volunteers, she
travels to Isithebe Industrial Estate to help victims of trauma deal with their nightmares and rebuild themselves.
Among them is the once-condemned psychopathic killer who killed his own father and buried him, for the first time
in her life Khethelo has doubts about the career path she’s chosen. He’s wearing a black hoodie that’s pulled over
his forehead, there’s a scar peeking from the bottom of his left cheek. He’s intimidating, not only because he’s too
dark with his nightmarish brown eyes, but he looks indubitably ill-natured as well. What is it going to take for him to tell his side of the story? Can she break down the walls around him?
He’s unsociable and not vocally skilled in expressing himself. But maybe there’s another way…a letter.
Dear Khethelo; The psychopathic killer pens down his life for the first time in 27 years
344 pages, Paperback
Published October 15, 2021
64 people are currently reading
668 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews
August 8, 2022
I actually don't have words to express how this book made me feel.
December 18, 2021
“My life never had any balance.”
I would read it all over again even though I had tears screaming down my face and a heart filled with pain, half laughing from time to time.
“He was obsessed with having perfect children, and his definition of perfect didn’t align with what Vukile and I were.” His father was the source of pain. A good man as far as the community was concerned but his position came at a higher price for his children. He was a single father, his desire for what he deemed to be perfection separated him from his children. The man had no acceptance at all. His measures to attain his desired perfection where far too extreme that led to his death . Given the extent of his methods claiming that he loved them is crazy but he did. As cruel as he was I loved that he loved them but he loved his status more.
“Life is hard when you’re lonely and unhappy.”Nzululwazi, After growing up knowing that he is considered the black sheep of the family, he passes Matric top of his classe, followed by interviews from the newspapers. He gains recognition from his father and suddenly becomes fit to have a share in his father’s livestock. He was consumed in his own pain that he realised later that even the ‘golden boy' was being mistreated as well. In the end when his father’s actions results in severe consequences he balances the acts and lands himself in prison.
Giant “I’m not saying you’ll stay pure, especially if you’re going to be here for a long time, but I will protect you with my life.” Giant, but what better way to turn your life around than to meet the man who believes in you more than you believe in yourself and stops at nothing to make sure that you make something out of your life. If you think that all men in prison have no heart then what better way to reconsider your stance by buying the book so that you can meet Giant.
The story is from the perspective of Nzululwazi, the son with a Asperger's disorder (affects the ability to effectively socialise and communicate) who pens down his life by means of a letter to Khethelo, a physiologist.
A am ready for book 2 and I sincerely hope it’s coming.
“He deprived himself of love and ended up not knowing how to love.
I would read it all over again even though I had tears screaming down my face and a heart filled with pain, half laughing from time to time.
“He was obsessed with having perfect children, and his definition of perfect didn’t align with what Vukile and I were.” His father was the source of pain. A good man as far as the community was concerned but his position came at a higher price for his children. He was a single father, his desire for what he deemed to be perfection separated him from his children. The man had no acceptance at all. His measures to attain his desired perfection where far too extreme that led to his death . Given the extent of his methods claiming that he loved them is crazy but he did. As cruel as he was I loved that he loved them but he loved his status more.
“Life is hard when you’re lonely and unhappy.”Nzululwazi, After growing up knowing that he is considered the black sheep of the family, he passes Matric top of his classe, followed by interviews from the newspapers. He gains recognition from his father and suddenly becomes fit to have a share in his father’s livestock. He was consumed in his own pain that he realised later that even the ‘golden boy' was being mistreated as well. In the end when his father’s actions results in severe consequences he balances the acts and lands himself in prison.
Giant “I’m not saying you’ll stay pure, especially if you’re going to be here for a long time, but I will protect you with my life.” Giant, but what better way to turn your life around than to meet the man who believes in you more than you believe in yourself and stops at nothing to make sure that you make something out of your life. If you think that all men in prison have no heart then what better way to reconsider your stance by buying the book so that you can meet Giant.
The story is from the perspective of Nzululwazi, the son with a Asperger's disorder (affects the ability to effectively socialise and communicate) who pens down his life by means of a letter to Khethelo, a physiologist.
A am ready for book 2 and I sincerely hope it’s coming.
“He deprived himself of love and ended up not knowing how to love.
December 31, 2021
If you want to understand mental health from a patient's point of view and not a clinician's then this book will be it. The emotions in this book whilst we go through the protagonist's life through this letter to Khethelo is just on steroids, I felt his life and how he was misunderstood by everyone all his life. Nelly being nelly, obvious she added some humor along the way to dilute but the themes driven by this book just stand out. You went out of your comfort zone, the best of your work so far for me. Loved it and greatly recommended it.
April 12, 2022
OMG! I laughed, i cried and got mad in the period of 6 hours which i spent reading this book. I can't get over how i relate to Nzulo. This book is really worth reading. I wish everyone can just read it with understanding. I learnt a lot from it. Nelly Page, you're the genuis here❤
December 24, 2024
The book had a lovely plot. It did not give away much from the description which kept me glued to it wanting to read more and more. I loved how it was uniquely orchestrated for the sole purpose of encompassing a letter through out the entire book. It gave me the experience of being Khethelo and allowed me to feel as though Khethelo was feeling. The inclusiveness of the book is commendable. This is a true definition of 'roller coaster emotions'. However, amidst all the amazing parts of the book, I was not satisfied to it's entirety. The ending was rather void of hope, or if it was there, it's very hard to pick up. The ending left me confused, uneasy and ambushed because it felt incomplete, rather than like a cliff hanger or an ending. I wish there was more to read. But all in all, bravo once again Ms. Nelly, you are truly a timeless storyteller.
January 8, 2025
What a tremendous read!!
Omg Ride’s letter, where do I even begin? It was a ride of emotions, my hatred for Zulu men elevated when he detailed out how bad his father was but it warmed when he spoke of his brother, Lance, baby, Zehlile and Barbra.
The letter really made me question whether the book is written based on real life experiences, it was really that well articulated 👌.
Gaint was so evil yet so pure, bathong ka mmatla lol😹.
Nelly has to give us book 2 because I’m about to have sleepless nights thinking about what Nzulo meant at the end.
Like Nelly noted, all of them could have been rescued only if human beings had tolerance for one another regardless of the differences.
Omg Ride’s letter, where do I even begin? It was a ride of emotions, my hatred for Zulu men elevated when he detailed out how bad his father was but it warmed when he spoke of his brother, Lance, baby, Zehlile and Barbra.
The letter really made me question whether the book is written based on real life experiences, it was really that well articulated 👌.
Gaint was so evil yet so pure, bathong ka mmatla lol😹.
Nelly has to give us book 2 because I’m about to have sleepless nights thinking about what Nzulo meant at the end.
Like Nelly noted, all of them could have been rescued only if human beings had tolerance for one another regardless of the differences.
April 28, 2022
I started reading this book in February and it got really heavy so I decided to stop and deal with the emotions that it triggered.
It is amazing read that make you look at children trauma differently. I cried, laugh but most importantly I discovered elements of myself.
It is amazing read that make you look at children trauma differently. I cried, laugh but most importantly I discovered elements of myself.
June 18, 2022
Very interesting 😍
Want to read
September 16, 2022Nice
February 28, 2023
Very good👍
March 13, 2023
Absolutely the best 👌
I really enjoyed the book, although the ending is so abrupt. Otherwise, the story is well narrated and triggers all sorts of emotions while reading it.
I really enjoyed the book, although the ending is so abrupt. Otherwise, the story is well narrated and triggers all sorts of emotions while reading it.
Want to read
August 1, 2023Good
January 17, 2024
You don’t know whether to cry or laugh when you read Nelly’s books. That’s how good she is. The books was so educational, I loved it.
May 22, 2024
Best author of all times 🔥❤️🩹
June 22, 2024
I loved everything about Nzulo's story. A few triggers here and there but I survived.
December 7, 2024
4.8⭐️ why are the good stories always short😭
February 8, 2025
Excellent read, about mental health! I enjoyed unpacking a different perspective
August 3, 2025
It's one of my best reads by Nelly. It took me through different kinds of emotions.
October 11, 2025
This is such a good read
January 9, 2023
This book make you to understand better a mental health of a person. "Things happened, laddie. Parents fucked us up." When Gaint said these words I went back to Gobimpisi on how he used to "punish" or "discipline " his sons, he thought he was doing good as a man from deep rural area in KZN but he was killing them mentally.
April 14, 2024
Amazing
Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews