New poem collection explores forgiveness

A former South African politician, Letlapa Mphahlele (formerly PAC president) has published a collection of 33 poems that explore various themes, including global warming, religion African rituals and xenophobia. Nxae is Mphahlele’s fifth book.

In a poem entitled Forgive Me, Mphahlele argues against the killing of people living with albinism in African countries.

In other poems, he warns traditional leaders against being swallowed up by modernity. Some of the poems warn journalists against the wiles of politicians who seek their favour.

The book was published online by KwaZulu-Natalbased Reach Publishers in December.

“Nxae means sorry but in this context it says ‘forgive me’,” Mphahlele said.“No human can enjoy the trials and tribulations of life without the element of forgiveness.”

He described his latest body of work as a being “full of sarcasm and full of contradictions” which, he said, made the book more interesting.

Though he is no longer in the spotlight when it comes to politics, he said he was still very much involved, but now he had time to pursue his other love, writing and publishing books. His first book, an autobiography, Child of This Soil: My Life as a Freedom Fighter, was published in 2002.

This was followed by Mantlalela! The Flood is Coming ,a 2005 collection of poems.

His other offerings include Shining the Searchlight Inwards (2012) and SA: A Republic Gone Bananas (2015).

In Nxae, he asks for forgiveness from a struggle stalwart and icon, the late Mama Sobukwe, as well as his ancestors from the four pillars of the earth, religious fanatics, the born-free generation, xenophobes, American men, African women, settlers, bigots, police officers and even Mother Nature.

“When nature hits back, there will be only one left to read the obituaries at funerals,” he said of the Mother Nature reference.

He also scoffs at the idea of an African being labelled a foreigner, saying Zimbabweans were South Africans about 300 years ago, yet today are viewed as “foreign” in SA.

He argues the notion of born free, saying when a child is born at the Nelson Mandela Academic Hospital, the equipment and the nurse assisting in that birth are paid for by government.

He said the government was still lagging in terms of assisting authors and writers in SA.