Meet the inspiring kasipreneurs of the informal economy, from bakers to backroom rental barons, coffee innovators to goat breeders, kasi delivery people to spaza innovators, mattress makers, backroom builders, vetkoek fryers and chicken dust queens, kota franchises and backyard auto mechanics.

These kasipreneurs not only sustain their communities but also drive considerable economic growth and social improvement. Each one has a unique story, yet they share a common thread of perseverance, innovative spirit, resilience and ingenuity. While formal statistics
paint a bleak picture of widespread unemployment, this book tells a different story – one of ingenuity, resilience and drive. These are the men and women who are creating their own opportunities, building livelihoods, and contributing to the economy in ways that often go
unrecognised. Their stories challenge the narrative and shine a light on a vibrant, entrepreneurial spirit thriving in the heart of the informal economy.

KasiNomics Unleashed is also the story of the corporate pioneers; the executives who thrive doing business in these informal spaces – the listed property companies, township butchery chains, grocery delivery founders, furniture suppliers, financial services entrepreneurs
and township property developers. As you delve into the tales of these enterprising executives, you will discover insights and lessons that transcend the boundaries of conventional business wisdom.

This is, on one hand, a book from GG Alcock about the business opportunities, pitfalls and key success factors for business in these rural and township spaces. But mostly it’s a deeply human story of the inspiring, tenacious entrepreneurs of our informal economy who
are otherwise invisible – they are the future … a KasiNomic power unleashed.

Besides being a world-famous game-viewing destination, the Kruger National Park also boasts a remarkable diversity of reptiles. This beginner-friendly guide features over 60 species of snake, lizard, terrapin, tortoise and crocodile, with basic identification pointers, interesting facts and notes on best viewing.
 
Learn more about the black mamba, puff adder, boomslang and other dangerously venomous snakes, as well as harmless creatures such as egg-eaters and blind snakes. Find out how to the identify the geckos, agamas and skinks that dart around camp, and discover the habits of the Nile crocodiles and water monitors, which bask along the waterways.
 
A richly illustrated, beginner-friendly guide – ideal for visitors keen to identify and learn more about the park’s reptiles.

Maria is a young woman raised as a Jehovah’s Witness in South Africa, and this book documents her experiences of gender victimisation, sexual abuse and cover-ups within the church, as well as her eventual ‘escape’ from its doctrines and control. Maria’s freedom came at a price, however – she can never see her mother and sister again.

A worldwide, Christian-based religious group that professes an unparalleled dedication to Jehovah (God), the Jehovah’s Witnesses have a strong sense of community and appear to embrace a disciplined yet loving way of life with the promise of eternal salvation for those who follow the way of Jehovah. It is a seemingly benign religious movement, claiming to be politically neutral, racially and ethnically transcendent, with a membership of eight million people worldwide. Yet, at its core, many former Witnesses claim that it is a fear-based doomsday cult that considers itself above all other belief systems.

Allegations of secular, cultish behaviour, homophobia, money laundering, brainwashing and countless accusations of institutionalised sexual abuse abound. It seems that membership is managed and retained mostly by way of information control and manipulation, extending to the shunning of higher education and preaching their own version of the Bible.

Entering the church is easy, but leaving it can be a matter of life or death, as Maria and countless others discovered...

Wanneer 'n rondreisende pretpark in die rustige dorpie Rustenvrede opdaag, kan Johan en Anton nie wag om dit te besoek nie. Maar hulle kom gou agter hierdie is geen gewone karnaval nie. Alhoewel hulle aanvanklik skepties is oor die hele gedoente, neem hulle vrywillig deel aan 'n toertjie by die skool om die pretpark te adverteer. Maar was dit net ’n skadelose toertjie? Want sedert die vreemde Madame Zelda hulle op die verhoog gehipnotiseer het, voel Johan, Anton en Karin . . . anders. Iets vreemds is besig om in hul stil klein dorpie te gebeur. Hoekom tree mense so snaaks op? Wat gebeur met hulle wanneer hulle die park in die nag besoek? En wat van daardie swart kraai wat elke beweging fyn dophou? Johan en sy vriende is vasbeslote om die waarheid te ontbloot - voordat Madame Zelda se duistere planne almal in gevaar stel.

'n Grillerige avontuur perfek vir dapper lesers wat nie bang is vir die donker nie!

From Daveyton to Davos, Professor Bonang Francis Mohale has defied odds, challenged the status quo and used every opportunity afforded to him to carve his own way in the world. More than that, he has chosen to take as many people as possible along with him.

Having already written two books on business, leadership and ethics, he now puts pen to paper to share a more personal story – his own life journey.

In Coming in From the Cold Bonang reflects on the experiences, decisions, principles and people that have shaped his journey – the good, the bad, the joyful and the painful. With thoughtful vulnerability, he opens a window into his private world, from a childhood enriched by his grandmother’s proverbs to meeting Susan, his lifelong love, in high school and marrying her at just 17.

For the first time, he shares openly and publicly his philosophies on family and parenting, the intense fear of poverty that fuelled his career ambitions, and the memories he holds most dear. As he reflects on the forks in the road that led to a level of success unimaginable to a young boy from the township outskirts of Benoni, he also offers pearls of wisdom to those who wish to learn from his legacy.

As experienced, self-taught recipe developer Karl Tessendorf asks, what kind of name is The Good Stuff for a cookbook? He explains that it’s not just a name but a celebration of the magic of comfort food. From perfect pastas, pies and Sunday roasts, through blissful bakes, and all the way to scrummy salads and sides, you will find more than 80 recipes that will leave your mouth watering as you recall your own happy comfort food memories. But being the food wizard he is, Karl adds more taste and panache to those comfort classics than you thought possible. He encourages you to try your hand at your own improvisation. Most importantly, he wants you to share these meals at a table with your nearest and dearest, accompanied by a few drinks and great conversation — because that’s The Good Stuff. It’s about human connection, great food and the memories they create. So here’s to The Good Stuff!

Newman se Voëls volgens Kleur bied vir die beginnervoëlkyker ’n vinnige, eenvoudige manier om Suider-Afrika se algemeenste voëls volgens hul kleur te identifiseer. Die vierde uitgawe van dié nuttige geïllustreerde gids is bygewerk met die nuutste gewone voëlname, uitgebreide habitatinligting en die mees onlangse verspreidingkaarte. Die leersame inleiding bevat praktiese wenke oor die uitken van voëls, inligting oor voëlanatomie en -klassifikasie, en raad oor waar om vir voëls te soek en wat jy op só ’n uitstappie moet inpak.

Wanneer Mosela se stat vernietig word deur wreedaardige seerowerpikkewyne, moet sy ’n gevaarlike reis aandurf om die Muiskoning te waarsku.

Sy moet die Uitverkorene vind wat bestem is om Rodentia te red. Khova, die magtige Toweruil, het al die regte kenmerke. Daar's net een probleem: Khova is die irriterendste, mees arrogante dier wat Mosela nog ooit ontmoet het!

Sal hulle die koninkryke kan oortuig om saam te staan teen die vyand?

In her debut cookbook, Cupcakes and Couscous, Teresa Ulyate spoils us with a treasury of tempting, nourishing recipes.

The book is dedicated to working parents, foodies and home cooks, and is exactly what we all need at the end of a busy day – quick, tasty, nutritious food that is easy to prepare and that bursts with flavour. The photography in Cupcakes and Couscous is a feast for the eyes, and showcases Teresa’s love for cooking and baking for her family – from preparing breakfast-on-the-go and lunchbox ideas, to midday bites, celebration food and braais. There’s also a chapter on hosting an event at home, with sample menus and helpful planning tips.

This book is sure to become a reliable kitchen companion that inspires and spreads the foodie love.

Lotta Liebenberg is elf jaar oud. Sy hou van pannekoek en is mal oor diere, maar eintlik is sy net doodgewoon. Baie meer doodgewoon as haar ouers en tweeling-raasbekboeties!

In Otters oral! is Lotta se beste vriendin, Chantelle, in die wolke, want haar ma het ’n man op ’n webwerf vir pasmaats ontmoet. Nou wil sy sommer vir almal ’n pasmaat soek! Miskien kan Lotta haar daarvan laat vergeet deur haar in die middel van die nag op ’n otter-avontuur te vat . . .

Die dagboekstyl en prettige illustrasies sal sorg dat lesers van 8 tot 12 jaar die sjarmante Lotta se eskapades onweerstaanbaar vind. Dit is die een katastrofe ná die ander in Lotta se lawwe lewe. Haar avonture is egter altyd vol pret, humor en verrassings!

South Africa’s mining journey began with the discovery of ‘mountains of copper’ in the drylands of Namaqualand, laying the foundation of an industry that would forever shape a nation’s destiny. Nowhere else in the world has a mineral revolution proved so influential in weaving the political, economic and social fabric of a society.

Digging Deep explores South Africa’s great mineral revolution – the lucky strikes and the struggles of prospecting in the late 1800s, the rushes to boom-and-bust towns in the Eastern Transvaal Goldfield, the dubious beginnings of the Witwatersrand, and the stories of the
visionary men like Cecil Rhodes, Alfred Beit, Barney Barnato, Sir Ernest Oppenheimer, Sammy Marks and Hans Merensky who pioneered and shaped the industry on which modern South Africa was built.

This epic retelling is the only single-volume account of how South Africa’s gold, diamonds, platinum, coal and a host of other metals and minerals – the richest treasure trove ever discovered in one country – transformed a colonial backwater into the greatest industrialised power on the African continent.

In this second edition, Jade Davenport adds two new chapters that closely examine the era since the advent of democracy in which time the mining industry has gone through a profound and distressing transformation.

Neo loves adventures, but sometimes he feels a little scared. Luckily his sister, Thandi, is strong and brave and she has a clever plan to make Neo feel safe. She gives him a special blanket – an invisible blanket. And it works! He’s not even afraid of the tallest tree in the garden anymore. But will the invisible blanket help when Neo has to go to a new school … and participate in the swimming gala? An inspiring story about being brave and believing in yourself. This book is also available in isiZulu, isiXhosa, Sepedi and Afrikaans.

“The Yumcious catering offerings are real crowd-pleasers. Whether you are planning an informal supper for a family get-together or a special occasion for friends, you can be assured of happy faces and plenty of compliments when you serve any of these dishes.

I have had the pleasure of cooking for several high-profile people – Prince Charles, Presidents Thabo Mbeki and FW de Klerk, Vice President Al Gore, Kenneth Kaunda, King Goodwill Zwelithini, Charlize Theron, Graham Norton, and the Duke and Duchess of Kent, to name but a few – and I treated them all the same as I would the man on the corner. I have approached every catering job as if I was cooking for my own family; I have never cut corners or used substandard ingredients, and I only prepare food that I like to eat myself. I cater weddings, funerals, birthdays, product launches, you name it. I love designing the menu around my client’s needs, imaging what they would like to serve their guests.

But more than anything, I simply love feeding people so catering will always hold a special place in my heart.” - Jenny Morris

Johanne 14 explores the secrets of simple, homecooked meals in South Africa’s townships.

Told through the eyes of award-winning food writer Hope Malau, the book features authentic, traditional dishes cooked with love, and acknowledges the ability of countless unsung kitchen heroes – the mothers, fathers, grandparents and siblings – to make culinary magic with often very little.

It is a vital glimpse into South African township life; moreover, it is a celebration of culture, resilience, human spirit, community and family – through the shared meal.

It is 2003 – ten years since Spud Milton’s class of 93 matriculated. Despite their seemingly unbreakable bond, the Crazy Eight – Rambo, Mad Dog, Vern, Fatty, Garth Garlic, Boggo, Simon and Spud – have not kept in touch. An invitation from the school to attend the ten-year reunion weekend has an unsettling effect on the former scholarship boy. One thing Spud knows for sure: there is no way he’ll be attending the reunion. The prospect of having to reveal his decade of spectacular non-achievement to his former classmates hardens his resolve.

At twenty-eight Spud is stuck in a one-third life crisis. His glittering theatre career might have stalled before it’s even begun. Not only that, he still doesn’t have a girlfriend and circumstances have forced him to move back in with his parents and Wombat, his senile grandmother.

But Spud hasn’t reckoned with a bombardment of messages and darkly threatening phone calls about the reunion that see his curiosity piqued. It’s just a weekend, after all … what could possibly go wrong?

Toby’s best friend is moving to another town. It feels as if an elephant has fallen on him.

Everything is going to be horrible without Lenny. They’ve been neighbours since they were little. They’re both crazy about cricket. They laugh at the same jokes. They both love pizza without pineapple. Where will he find a friend like Lenny again?

Toby decides to make a plan … a plan that’s going to give someone the heebie-jeebies!

I am a CURIOUS brown boy.
I explore the world around me ...
I am an ACCEPTING brown boy.
I respect people who are different from me.

Remarkable me is an empowering book of positive affirmations for brown boys. This book teaches boys to embrace and celebrate their unique talents and interests, while encouraging them to dream big and to be creative.

Build confidence and resilience from a young age with easy-to-follow rhyming text and bright inclusive illustrations that reflect proudly South African children.

Also available in Sesotho, isiXhosa, isiZulu and Afrikaans

A new family has moved in next door. Vuyo can see them from his bedroom window. The mom is dancing, the dad is laughing, the dog keeps wagging its tail …

Why does the little girl look sad?

A lyrical book about friendship and kindness that encourages young children to accept and support others.

Amidst a backdrop of political unrest and voter disillusionment, South Africa finds itself at a crossroads, challenging its resiliency like never before. Bruce Whitfield, leveraging his deep connection with the nation's most innovative minds, presents The One Thing: Small Ideas, Big Outcomes, A Brighter Future for South Africa. This book is a clarion call for focused action, inspired by the wisdom that when everything is a priority, nothing truly is.

Through exclusive insights from business leaders to pioneers in various fields, Whitfield orchestrates a compelling narrative on the transformative power of single, impactful ideas.

'The One Thing' is not just a book; it's a blueprint for individual and collective commitment to propelling South Africa towards a brighter, more potent future.

Every now and then a book comes along that is both timely and remarkable, that integrates all aspects of life; from recognising one’s roots, developing a moral grounding, building from strong family foundations to follow a chosen path to reach one’s goals, and remaining humble when it all comes to pass.

Time and Chance is an account, in a variety of contrasting images, voices and experiences gained from travelling the world in pursuit of business, where LAZARUS ZIM, industrious Broad-Based Black Economic Empowerment (B-BBEE) enthusiast, recounts his journey to become one of South Africa’s business leaders, with several firsts, while navigating the political minefield – disclosing descriptions of behind-the-scenes intrigue and conspiracy – and his interactions with Heads of State in South Africa and around the globe.

The recounting of Zim’s extraordinary rise to success oscillates between hope, faith, ethics, and diligence as he lays bare his successes and failures, and the organic wisdom, knowledge, and wit that have framed his business acumen and moral grounding.

It is a poignant reminder of a black child’s quest to fulfil his purpose in which the writer dares everyone to dream, even in the face of hopelessness.

Victor Zulu has to take control of the family-owned club in which both his father and brother were killed. Will he be next?

He’ll have to watch his back with gangsters coveting the club as a place to push drugs. Meanwhile, his brother’s best friend, Fana, wants to buy the club from the Zulus – but with what money? And then there’s Busie, his brother’s widow whom Victor secretly loves, but even she seems to have secrets.

A thrilling tale of mystery and suspense, danger and daring.

‘Eat cake, because it’s somebody’s birthday somewhere!’

The kitchen is truly the heart of the home for popular content creator Angie Batis Durrant and her musician husband Shane, frontman for Desmond and the Tutus.

You’re invited to join the Durrant family, whose playful weeknight dinners and mouthwatering treats are sure to bring laughter and joy to your own kitchen. Angie, a mother of two, brings her warm, witty approach to cooking, a nod to her Greek heritage, and her love of baking into every dish.

Many of the recipes are perfect for involving the kids, making it easy for the whole family to roll up their sleeves and make a mess, all while creating delicious memories. Plus, Angie shares her top-secret Wolves' red velvet cake recipe!

The Lucky Kitchen is full of real food, with fun, easy recipes made to be enjoyed by real families.

A touching picture book about resilience, identity, and familial love. Every morning when Ta’mkhulu helps Zinzo to shine his shoes, he reminds him that he has big shoes to fill. Zinzo wants to make his dads proud, even though they live far away in the city. His grandfather sets a great example by being kind and caring to everyone in the village. But when the children at school learn about Zinzo’s unconventional family they are not kind to him at all. Can Zinzo show them that being different is nothing to be afraid of? Big Shoes to Fill is a proudly South African book that encourages acceptance, understanding and kindness towards the LBGTQI+ community. This picture book is not only a tribute to the unbreakable bonds of family but also a celebration of the courage to stand tall in one’s own shoes. Also available in isiXhosa, isiZulu and Afrikaans.

Duduza. Bopha. Imbiza. Phapha. Asixoliseni. Amapopeye . . . What is the power of a single word?

Six days a week, advertising creative Melusi Tshabalala posts a Zulu word on his Everyday Zulu Facebook page and tells a story about it. His off-beat sense of humour, razor-sharp social observations and frank political commentary not only teaches his followers isiZulu but also offer insight into the world Melusi inhabits as a 21st century Zulu man.

Over the past few months he has built up a big and a loyal following that include radio host Jenny Crwys-Williams and Afrikaans author Marita van der Vyfer. He pokes fun at our differences and makes us laugh at ourselves and each other.

Melusi asks critical questions of everyone, from Aunty Helen, Dudu-Zille to Silili (Cyril Ramaphosa) and even Woolworths (why are their aircons always set on ‘jou moer’?). His fans love him for his honesty and commitment to pointing out subtle and overt forms of prejudice and racism.

Melusi’s Everyday Zulu holds up a mirror that shows South African society in all its flaws and its sheer humanity. Most importantly, he shows the power of words and that there’s umzulu in all of us!

This is a book about fairies. There’s only one problem … there are monsters hiding around every corner, just waiting to pull all sorts of silly pranks. Are there even any fairies in this book?