Mamphela Ramphele

A South African friend gave me this book, saying it gave her hope. At first I was a bit puzzled as to the source of my friend's hope as the majority of this book describes what is wrong with the country and who is to blame. It is only in the last few chapters that a slither of hope emerges when she gives some constructive suggestions and examples on how things can be fixed.

This book is not easy to read as the style of writing is that of someone more accustomed to writing official or academic documents. However, the author more than makes up for that with the urgent and powerful message that she is trying to get across.

Lets hope that her target audience will read this book and give its contents some thought.

There is a beautiful quote in Mamphele Ramphele's mother tongue, Sepedi, that to me summarizes this book:

Buta bana ditaola, o se ye natso badimong.

It translates to:

Teach insights into the secrets of life to your children; you are not to take them with you when you depart to the land of the ancestors.… (lisätietoja)