Sue Nyathi, a writer that ignores barking dogs

By Sandile Memela

I found myself in Melville at Bookcirclecapital book discussion by chance last week Thursday, 27 April, 2023.. It was not my plan to buy award winning author, Sue Nyath’s latest novel, An Angels Demise.  It costs a whooping R340.  Of course, they don’t want us to buy books and read.

I wonder how much she makes out of that, R34 per copy, maybe. The publishing industry exploits writers. Anyway, it was a laid back session. Much as she got lost and late, she was pretty relaxed, thoughtful and forthcoming.

Above all, she was patient with the small audience. I think people were overwhelmed by her.

Booking.com

The greatest thing is, no doubt that she is in the leading pack of female African writers that dip into the soul history of the continent and its people. This book seems to have elevated her profile and her voice. She is coming into her own.

This is well deserved. The topics she tackles are timeous, relevant and important.  She is a custodian of the African soul. I think it is a good thing that we have female African writers of her calibre fast coming up.  In fact, the female African voice dominates the literary scene in Zim, where she comes from. The focus is on women in the liberation struggle.

Above all, the political betrayal of African dreams. She blames the politicians.  Predictably, there backdrop of history, politics, colonization and related matters permeates her stories.

But she does not apologize for that. She is political conscious.  I think it is great that Sue Nyathi is here.

At present she is not working on anything literary, until she is instructed by the Muse.

Here is yet another female African writer who is in control.

She does not care much for what critics think of her work. Of course, it speaks for itself.