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This year NRP has published 4 new English and 5 new Zulu stories (all ABET Level 2), written in the Writers' and Editors' workshop held in May 2008.
Here are the synopses of the new English titles and the English synopses of the Zulu stories:
A Lucky Man
Robert was a lucky man. His wife, Camilla, cared for him. His son did well at school. He was lucky with the lotto too. He nearly always got three correct numbers.
Then his friend, Anthony, persuaded him to try his luck at the casino for the first time. Robert started going to the casino every week. One day there was no more money for the casino and no money left to buy his son a birthday present.
Was Robert still a lucky man?
Locked up
Tseko is in prison for murdering his wife. He was found guilty of locking her in the house, setting fire to it and burning her to death.
After 5 years in prison, his sister-in-law, Mandisa, comes to see him. He is very surprised to see her because she hates him for murdering her sister. Mandisa has new information about the night of the fire.
Then his brother is poisoned and Tseko knows for sure who the murderer is, but he has to decide whether to give away his wife’s secret.
Man of the house
The Sithole family moved from the Transkei to Soshanguve when Thando’s father got a job at a big factory. For a while, things were better for the family.
Then his father died and his mother got sick. Thando’s mother made him promise that he would look after his eight year old brother, Siswe, and his four year old sister, Neo and make sure that they all stayed together.
Thando hoped to go to university one day, but he had to stop going to school to try to get money to put food on the table. Still the children often went hungry. Thando could not ask for help because of the promise he made to his mother. Then Siswe’s teacher, Mrs Gumede, decided to investigate. .
The Promise
Zinzi promises her mother that she will never leave her, not like her father, brothers and sisters did. When she gets a job as an assistant in Themba’s corner store, her mother reminds her that her first job is to look after her.
Zinzi and Themba fall in love, but she does not tell her mother. She does not tell Themba about her promise to her mother either.
One day Themba tells her he is going out and when he gets back he will have a big surprise for her. She is very excited because she has a secret wish!
Then she gets a phone call that changes everything.
Synopses Zulu titles 2009
Kusindwe ngobethole
MaShezi was determined that her daughter’s wedding would be the best the area had ever seen. Despite her husband’s disapproval, she encouraged her daughter to ignore tradition and participate in the elaborate preparations for a huge wedding party.
The day of the wedding arrived and the church looked beautiful. Rich people came from close and far in their fancy cars.
However, the wedding did not turn out quite as planned. The priest had just concluded the wedding ceremony when there was screaming at the back of the church…
Uthanda luyefana
MaKhumalo was 40 years old and had never had a pet in her life.
She grew up believing that cats were no good, that they would get snakes from the forest and bring them into the house. Eventually her children persuaded her to get a kitten.
Years later, something happened which made MaKhumalo realise that love is the same whether it is for an animal or a person.
Ilobolo
Mr Ngubane’s first love was his cows. He gave his cattle praise names.
When his neighbours came to start negotiations to marry his daughter, he immediately told them to bring the cows to pay the lobola. He was very happy that he was going to get more cows.
But when the cows were brought to his homestead, Mr Ngubane was in for a very big surprise.
Ayikho lento
Mr Nzuza and his wife MaSithole lived happily with their neighbours, Mr Chamane and his wife, MaMzimela.
MaSithole was worried that her husband travelled for work and often had to stay away overnight. MaMzimela reassured her by telling her that her husband also sometimes worked night shift.
One night both men’s travelling days came to a sudden end when they each made a startling discovery.
Uxamu’ kavinjelwa
Sizwe’s dream was to be a boxer when he grew up. He loved boxing, but his father refused to allow him to box.
Then he changed schools and his new school had a boxing team. He joined the team without telling his father.
When his father found out he was furious and threw him out of his house. The other boys in the team were jealous of Sizwe and tried to sabotage him.
Read about how Sizwe overcame all his difficulties to achieve his dream.
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