It’s easy to imagine that state capture began with Jacob Zuma and the Guptas. But you’d be wrong.

Born out of the ANC Women’s League 20 years ago, Bosasa has come to be described as the ANC’s ‘Heart of Darkness’. At its helm today is Gavin Watson, a struggle-rugby-player-turned-tenderpreneur who made it his business to splash out on gifts and cash to get up close and personal with the country’s top politicians and civil servants. In return, Bosasa won tenders to the tune of billions of rands and – with friends in high places – stayed clear of prosecution. Adriaan Basson has been investigating Bosasa since he was a rookie journalist 13 years ago. He has been sued, intimidated and threatened, but has stuck to the story like a bloodhound. Now, in the wake of the explosive findings of the Zondo commission, he has weaved the threads of Bosasa’s story together.

Blessed by Bosasa is a riveting in-depth investigation into an extraordinary story of high-level corruption and rampant pillage, of backdoor dealings and grandiose greed. Through substantial research and a number of interviews with key individuals, Basson unveils the shady, cult-like underbelly of the criminal company that held the Zuma government in the palm of its hand.

Cape Town, 2018. South Africa’s mother city is wracked by drought. The prospect of premier Helen Zille’s ‘Day Zero’ – the day when all taps run dry – is driving its citizens into a frenzy. When it’s announced that Mayor Patricia de Lille is off the water crisis, the predicament reaches its zenith and politicians turn upon each other.

And so begins a stupendous battle within the Democratic Alliance: who will lead Cape Town? It’s during this time that author and researcher Crispian Olver applies to the City of Cape Town to gain access to certain official documents as part of a research project. He is baffled when his application is rejected without explanation, but this only strengthens his resolve to explore how the city of his childhood is run. In particular, he has his sights set on the relationship between city politicians and property developers.

Olver interviews numerous individuals, including many ‘chopped’ from the city administration. What he uncovers is a pandora’s box of backstabbing, in-fighting and backroom deals. He explores dodgy property developments at Wescape and Maiden’s Cove, delves into attempts to ‘hijack’ civic associations, and exposes the close yet precautious relationship between the mayor and City Hall’s so-called ‘laptop boys’. But his main goal is to understand what led to the political meltdown within the Democratic Alliance, and the defection of De Lille to form her own party.

Banting has moved on since the Real Meal Revolution, and wow what a success story it is... By watching the detail an estimated millions of KG's have been lost and health has returned to so many.

Rita Venter, (founder), Kim Blom and Natalie Lawson are the darlings of Banting 7 Day Meal Plans Facebook group, spreading love and kindness and in so doing turning lives around.

They are not scientists, doctors, or nutritionists but decided to take back their health and help others do the same. Through extensive research, personal testing and adapting where necessary, they regained their energy, their bodies and their lives.

The group has over 1,6-million followers, it grew by 100 000 members last month. It has 3M interactions per month. It's the largest nutrition group in the world on Facebook.

As a medical detective of the modern world, forensic pathologist Ryan Blumenthal’s chief goal is to bring perpetrators to justice. He has performed thousands of autopsies, which have helped bring numerous criminals to book. In Autopsy he covers the hard lessons learnt as a rookie pathologist, as well as some of the most unusual cases he’s encountered.

During his career, for example, he has dealt with high-profile deaths, mass disasters, death by lightning and people killed by African wildlife. Blumenthal takes the reader behind the scenes at the mortuary, describing a typical autopsy and the instruments of the trade. He also shares a few trade secrets, like how to establish when a suicide is more likely to be a homicide.

Even though they cannot speak, the dead have a lot to say – and Blumenthal is there to listen.

In September 2019, Cape Town–based entrepreneur Jarette Petzer posted a video on Facebook. It was an emotional recognition of the difficulties faced by South Africa, as well as a heartfelt plea to nurture everything he loves about this country. Friends suggested that Petzer start a Facebook page to continue the conversation, and #ImStaying was born.

Within weeks, 400 000 South Africans of every race, socio-economic and political background joined the page to tell their stories of everyday life – of beauty, of hardship and the magnificence of their fellow citizens – and to share stories across cultural barriers, which many had never crossed before. By the end of December 2019, the page had more than a million followers, and it continues to grow.

Adhering to the maxim ‘Good Thoughts. Good Words. Good Deeds.’, #ImStaying is about South Africans creating social cohesion through storytelling – reaching out to each other to inspire real change in the country they love and want to see succeed, and shaping a new future out of a painful past.

This book provides another platform for the diverse voices and stories of the #ImStaying movement, as well as giving an overview of how this uniquely South African group came about and why it’s so important.

Perhaps the most explosive issue in South Africa today is the question of land ownership. The central theme in this country’s colonial history is the dispossession of indigenous African societies by white settlers, and current calls for land restitution are based on this loss. Yet popular knowledge of the actual process by which Africans were deprived of their land is remarkably sketchy.

This book recounts an important part of this history, describing how the Khoisan and Xhosa people were dispossessed and subjugated from the time that Europeans first arrived until the end of the Cape Frontier Wars (1779–1878).

The Land Wars traces the unfolding hostilities involving Dutch and British colonial authorities, trekboers and settlers, and the San, Khoikhoin, Xhosa, Mfengu and Thembu people – as well as conflicts within these groups. In the process it describes the loss of land by Africans to successive waves of white settlers as the colonial frontier inexorably advanced. The book does not shy away from controversial issues such as war atrocities on both sides, or the expedient decision of some of the indigenous peoples to fight alongside the colonisers rather than against them.

The Land Wars is an epic story, featuring well-known figures such as Ngqika, Lord Charles Somerset and his son, Henry, Andries Stockenström, Hintsa, Harry Smith, Sandile, Maqoma, Bartle Frere and Sarhili, and events such as the arrival of the 1820 Settlers and the Xhosa cattlekilling. It is essential reading for anyone who wants to understand South Africa’s past and present.

Wie sou kon raai dat Jan en sy boeke wêreldbekend sou word vir braai! Die braaikoning is terug met ’n splinternuwe boek en dié keer ondergaan die nederige braaibroodjie ’n gedaantewisseling of twee. Vind liplekker hoender-, beesvleis-, vegetariese en veganistiese braaibroodjie- en burgerresepte wat jou gesin sal laat terugkom vir nog! En moenie dink Jan het van die suikertande vergeet nie, die boek bevat alles van soet tot sout, alles oor die vuur – dis mos nou lekker!

In the 1990s, deep-cover police agent RS536 took on the Durban underworld as part of a new organised crime intelligence unit. He rubbed shoulders with drug lords, smugglers and corrupt cops, and was instrumental in busting an international drug ring and foiling a bank heist, among many other dangerous engagements.

But then, as the country’s new democracy birthed a struggle between the old and the new guard in the South African Police Service, his identity and his life came under threat. In this action-packed account, Johann van Loggerenberg describes how, as a young policeman, he worked closely with the investigative team of the Goldstone Commission to uncover the ‘third force’ – apartheid security forces that supplied weapons to the Inkatha Freedom Party to destabilise the country.

He also delves into how and why, at the height of state capture at the South African Revenue Service in 2014, he was falsely accused of being an apartheid spy, a lie that persists up to today. Here, finally, is the truth behind deep-cover police agent RS536.

“Die leser word geprikkel en met vele vrae gelaat . . . Hoe goed ken ’n mens werklik jou gesinslede of enigiemand anders? Hoe vernietigend is groepsdruk, hoe intimiderend die behoefte aan tuishoort? Uiters aktueel, nie net in Amerika nie.” – Deborah Steinmair, joernalis en skrywer

Nadat hy jare lank wreed verbaal en fisiek deur klasmaats geboelie is, knak die 17-jarige Peter Houghton een oggend. Binne slegs neëntien minute sterf tien inwoners van die dorp Sterling in Amerika.

Die geskokte gemeenskap is vasberade dat geregtigheid moet geskiet. Soos die hofsaak ontvou en Peter getuienis lewer, kom dit egter aan die lig dat die inwoners van Sterling ’n rol daarin gespeel het om ’n innemende, liefdevolle seun in ’n moordenaar te laat verander.

In ’n era waarin boeliegedrag toenemend ’n probleem is, hou hierdie meesleurende boek talle insigte in vir ouers, onderwysers en tieners.

"Alison, I’ve got bad news."

The voice of the pathologist at the other end of the telephone confirmed for Alison Tucker the news no woman ever wants to hear: she had breast cancer. Once the shock had settled, Alison decided that she would take charge. Not only would she take ownership of the dreaded disease, but she would do so with a positive mindset and prepare herself as best she could for what was to come. She did detailed research and paid close heed to what she was told by others who had walked the path before her. As she navigated her way through surgery and the chemotherapy and radiotherapy that followed, Alison’s determination paid off. Not only did she make new friends, but she learnt valuable life lessons too: acceptance of the illness for what it was, the amazing impact of ongoing advances in medical science, and the importance of being able to ask for – and receive – help.

In My Best Worst Year – A Breast Cancer Story, Alison gives us an authentic account of her experience, offering insights and advice for others who might one day face the same diagnosis. You will accompany her on her highs, empathise with her lows, and be amused by humorous anecdotes along the way. Through the generous support of family and friends, she has amassed a collection of practical tips for both patients and supporters which she shares with open-hearted honesty:

• What to take to chemotherapy sessions
• What to look for when choosing a wig
• What side effects a person can expect when having the various types of cancer treatment
• What to say, and what not to say, to a cancer patient
• How to remove stress from a cancer patient’s life
• What kind of gifts and gestures are most appreciated

Contrary to Alison’s expectations, her year of treatment turned out to be her best worst year. By telling her story, she underlines the importance of a positive attitude and hopes to show that a person can still lead a productive and enjoyable life even after being diagnosed with cancer.

40 Years of iconic food is the product of Dorah Sitole’s culinary journey, which began growing up in the townships and led to her becoming the exceptional food icon that she is today. Each chapter features various stages of Dorah’s fascinating life, with recipes to match: traditional African, Township, Pan-African and Western. Let this cookbook be your companion in the kitchen, lift your spirits, challenge you a bit or just simply make you smile!

If a mere seven more MPs had voted with Prime Minister JBM Hertzog in favour of neutrality, South Africa’s history would have been quite different.

Parliament’s narrow decision to go to war in 1939 led to a seismic upheaval throughout the 1940s: black people streamed in their thousands from rural areas to the cities in search of jobs; volunteers of all races answered the call to go ‘up north’ to fight; and opponents of the Smuts government actively hindered the war effort by attacking soldiers and committing acts of sabotage. World War Two upended South Africa’s politics, ruining attempts to forge white unity and galvanising opposition to segregation among African, Indian and coloured communities. It also sparked debates among nationalists, socialists, liberals and communists such as the country had never previously experienced.

As Richard Steyn recounts so compellingly in 7 Votes, the war’s unforeseen consequence was the boost it gave to nationalism, both Afrikaner and African, that went on to transform the country in the second half of the 20th century. The book brings to life an extraordinary cast of characters, including wartime leader Jan Smuts, DF Malan and his National Party colleagues, African nationalists from Anton Lembede and AB Xuma to Walter Sisulu and Nelson Mandela, the influential Indian activists Yusuf Dadoo and Monty Naicker, and many others.

Faaiza Omar, a self-taught baker, is passionate about baking all things deliciously sweet and has curated her favourite cakes and bakes in her debut book, My Sweet Life.

Inspired by flavours from Paris to Peru, Faaiza bridges the gap between baking enthusiasts and pastry chefs, with easy and advanced recipes, simplifying techniques.

Bursting with beautiful bakes, My Sweet Life is a mere taste of Faaiza’s repertoire, and has everything you’ll need for a tea party with friends or your dessert table when entertaining at home. Think delicate petits fours, celebration cakes, cheesecakes to brioches, ice creams and delectable desserts, My Sweet Life is the only baker’s book you’ll need to satisfy a sweet tooth.

Born Perlé van Schalkwyk, into a strict Jehovah Witness family, after studying drama at Stellenbosch University, Perlé quickly realises that acting is not going to buy her that house on the hill. And so erotic dancing and stripping becomes her modus operandi and GiGi is born. 

Tales of drugs, murder and porn lace her fascinating life, along with stories of courage and cunning in the sexist underworld. GiGi is a true survivor. Ultimately, this bare all memoir will both titillate and inspire. 

Super Natural pivots around an abundance of vegetables and natural, whole foods, celebrating seasonal produce, good fats and whole grains, pulses and legumes, and foods that are almost entirely free of refined carbohydrates and sugars.

Best of all, the recipes are accessible, easy, budget friendly, beautiful and delicious. And for Sarah Graham's loyal army of fans, Super Natural is a guide to living well and eating mindfully - a continuum of her highly popular cookbook Wholesome, which is
heading towards its fifth printing.

Besides the health benefits of eating more vegetables and, ultimately, fewer animal products, Sarah also has a more altruistic motive, that of caring for our planet and being more aware of where our food comes from and how our eating impacts our world.

It was predicted that when Jan Braai’s first book, Fireworks, was released in 2012 that the book would become a staple classic in the South African cooking canon. Who could have guessed that Jan and his books would become world-renowned for braai brilliance.

With the rising popularity of that quintessential South African braai accompaniment, the humble braaibroodjie, Jan decided that it was time to focus on what is more than a cheese and tomato toastie and highlight the extraordinary meals you can braai with bread. It’s helped that the world is no longer so kak-scared of eating bread!

Find delicious chicken, beef, vegetarian and vegan braaibroodjie and burger recipes that will keep your family coming back for more!

Brian Fredericks, ’n aangrypende nuwe stem, skryf met nege kortverhale ’n wêreld oop in die Cape Flats.

Hy werp lig op ’n komplekse wêreld waar die grens tussen reg en verkeerd heeltyd verskuiwe, maar bowenal het hy ’n sonderlinge insig in die feilbaarheid maar ook die broosheid van menswees. Karakters kry lewe op papier, en maak jou opnuut kyk na die wêreld om jou en in jou.

Met dié bundel kortverhale vestig Fredericks hom as baanbreker in die Afrikaanse kortkuns.

In Nianell’s darkest moment she discovered that she was never truly alone. Just before she wanted to take a leap out of this life, a voice within her said: ‘Do you really think you would have chosen this life, if this was it?’

All that I had learned from the wonderful teachers I’d had in my life popped into my mind in that moment.

Their journeys, their struggles, their failures, their pain, their successes, their teachings. If they did not have the courage to share their stories with us, and what they have learned from them, we would all still be fumbling around in the dark. What I learned from them saved my life. I do what I do because I know how easy it is to forget who you are, how easy it is to forget your worth, and how easy it is to miss out on living a magnificent life.

I’m here to remind you, in Life Simplified, that you are love. You chose this life to learn how to love, and how to allow yourself to be loved. By reminding you, I remind myself.

The story of the Springboks 2019 Rugby World Cup victory is one of the most inspiring in South African sporting history.

It is about how two men – coach Rassie Erasmus and captain Siya Kolisi – led a team of warriors into battle and conquered the world when inequality and division are still undeniable realities in South African society. When the Boks won the 2007 World Cup final, they did so with 20 white players in their match-day squad of 22.

In 2019, there were five black Africans in their starting line-up for the Yokohama final and the images of Kolisi lifting the Webb Ellis Cup will be replayed forever.

None of this seemed possible just two years ago when the Boks had reached an all-time low. They had slipped to No 7 in the world and had lost the faith of the rugby-loving public. Erasmus came in with just 18 months to prepare for the competition.

Sports writer Lloyd Burnard takes the reader on a thrilling journey from the time when no-one gave the Boks a chance of winning, to the delirious victory tour. He covers the key roles played by Erasmus and Kolisi, and their special relationship. There are ups and downs en route to victory: the first signs of self-belief when they beat the All Blacks in Wellington, Kolisi’s injury, the fall of Aphiwe Dyantyi when he was caught with banned substances in his system, and the Langebaan incident involving Eben Etzebeth that threatened to derail the team.

In How to Raise a Man, as you learn more about the development of masculinity, identify your parenting style and familiarise yourself with the issues facing parenthood today, you will become a more compassionate, centred and effective parent. In this era of #metoo and #allmenaretrash, it’s evident that something is going wrong with the way men progress from childhood into adulthood, and few realise how critical the role of the purposeful and emotionally empowered mother is in a boy’s journey to maturity.

So, what does all this mean for you as the mother of an adolescent boy? Like it or not, mom, your son is Generation Z. He has been adored and treasured, photo-graphed and recorded. Many of his generation of adolescents are outwardly assertive and outspoken and have good boundaries, yet inwardly they are full of paradoxes. And they are confusing to manage – your GenZ rules you. They are clever. But as a mother, you need to be smarter.

Teenagers need centred adults to guide them. Confident, capable adults should never overreact, sulk, withdraw or blame, and if you find yourself resorting to this behaviour, it is time to reset your parenting methods. If you are confused or irritated by your pre-teen or teenage son, or feel bewildered and hurt by his behaviour, this book will guide you to a clear understanding of teenagers in general and teenage boys in particular. Written by a parenting expert, and drawing on Western psychology as well as Eastern philosophy, the processes and ideas in this practical guide will help you raise the man you want your son to be.

Cadre deployment means that the ANC and the state are inextricably intertwined. In KwaZulu-Natal, which has long been the powder keg of South Africa, it’s a monster that means people of competing patronage networks are killing each other for a place at the trough –  for jobs and tenders –  and the taxi industry provides the hitmen, guns and the transport.

Travel with journalist Greg Ardé across KwaZulu-Natal into the dark heart of South Africa and the ANC’s ‘culture of blood’.  

When working on the UNESCO Slave Route project in the early 2000s, Botlhale Tema discovered the extraordinary fact that her highly educated family from the farm Welgeval in the Pilanesberg had originated with two young men who had been child slaves in the midnineteenth century. She pieced together the fragments of information from relatives and members of the community, and scoured the archives to produce this book.

Land Of My Ancestors, previously published as The People Of Welgeval, tells the story of the two young men and their descendants, as they build a life for themselves on Welgeval. As they raise their families and take in people who have been dispossessed, we follow the births, deaths, adventures and joys of the farm’s inhabitants in their struggle to build a new community.

Set against the backdrop of slavery, colonialism, the Anglo-Boer War and the rise of apartheid, this is a fascinating and insightful retelling of history. It is an inspiring story about friendship and family, landownership and learning, and about how people transform themselves from victims to victors.

A new prologue and epilogue give more historical context to the narrative and tell the story of the land claim involving the farm, which happened after the book’s original publication.

For most of its existence, the ANC Youth League has played a powerful role in the politics of the ANC, and therefore of South Africa. This book tells the history of the ANC Youth League, from its formation in 1944 to the present day.

The book explores the radicalising role played by its early leaders, such as Nelson Mandela, Walter Sisulu and O.R. Tambo; the formation of the ANC Youth and Students Section in exile, first led by Thabo Mbeki; the return from exile in the 1990s and the leadership of Peter Mokaba; the controversies around the appointment of Julius Malema and his subsequent sacking; and the absence of Youth League leadership in the #FeesMustFall movement and current South African politics. Finally, the book considers the role that the Youth League should play in the future.

This is a fascinating glimpse into a vital and volatile institution in South African politics.

After an extraordinary four-year battle, Gabi Lowe lost her beautiful, talented 20-year-old daughter, Jenna Lowe, on 8 June 2015 to pulmonary arterial hypertension, a rare degenerative lung disease, following a double lung transplant.

Jenna was young, bright and articulate. She was LEAD SA’s Youth Hero of the Year in 2015. Her death was mourned by thousands of people whose lives she had touched. During her short but full life, Jenna and the Lowe family raised much-needed awareness around this rare and devastating disease, highlighting the dire need for access to medication and organ donors locally. Although desperately ill, Jenna became the face for organ donation in South Africa through the hugely successful #GetMeTo21 campaign in which she invited all South Africans to attend her twenty-first birthday celebration by clicking on a link to become an organ donor. Tragically, Jenna died four months before reaching her milestone.

Brilliantly written, riveting in all its terrible truth and pain, in this brutally honest memoir Gabi Lowe shares her family’s desperate fight to save Jenna’s life. Get Me to 21 will inspire us to believe that the ability to face even the darkest, and most unimaginable, lives deep within us all.