The Battle of Mamusa reflects the grievous event in the Western Transvaal border culture context that contributed profoundly to the dissolution of the last functioning Korana polity. The narrative presented in this work is exceptional for at least two reasons: Firstly, for the thoughtful manner in which the intriguing concept of metaphors is applied in this study of historical ethnography cum ethnohistory. Secondly, for the skilful way in which the author relates the battle of Mamusa to how present-day Korana and neo- Khoisan communities, in a new context, are relating to their future in a post-1994 constitutional dispensation. Prof. Henry C (Jatti) Bredekamp University of the Western Cape

An account of the making of South Africa as we know it.

At the Fireside was born out of the need to preserve, retell and rekindle some of the stories of events and lives that have shaped and coloured South Africa. This book recalls our history and enables the reader to relive the stories of our sometimes forgotten past. These are tales of bravery and honour, greed and failure, hope and despair, but ultimately the stories are of real people who went beyond the expected and of events that surpassed the ordinary.

A new collection of stories about real-life characters and events that have shaped our past and that have never been told before e" stories of bravery and honor, greed and failure, hope and despair, but ultimately stories of people who went beyond the expected and of events that surpassed the ordinary.

Kitchener's scapegoat or a murderous war criminal? The truth about Breaker Morant revealed

This book makes a very significant, timely and relevant contribution to a very topical subject of immense local as well as global interest. Through tracing the evolution of media discourse about race and racism, which the author prefers to call ‘race talk’, the writer prised open a window to a panoramic, variegated and yet nuanced perspective of the perennial South African race question etched across the vistas of time and memory since Jan Van Riebeeck set up the first European settlement as a refreshment station for the Dutch East India Company, at the Cape of Good Hope in 1652 up to the time of writing this book. It lends a fresh lens through which to re-read South African society, not only to a studious scholar of media history but also to anybody interested in the general history of South Africa. - Dr Zvenyika Mugari, WITS This book is based on meticulous archival searching, presented in a new, fresh and highly engaging way. This is a book based on evidentiary-led scholarly principles that has lucidity as a goal. Unlike so many scholarly works which are turgid and very difficult to read because they are written in restricted codes meant only for other academics, this manuscript is wonderfully lucid, accessible and a pleasure to read. The prime readership will be academics but its lucidity makes it appealing beyond a purely academic readership, hopefully reaching media professionals and students also and influencing debates on race policy. This is how academic books, in fact, should be written. - Prof Keyan Tomaselli, University of Johannesburg The author has embarked on a very difficult and complex task of understanding the race construct in the South African media context. This is a highly contested and contentious space in South Africa and it is particularly arduous for a “white, middle-class, middle-aged, Afrikaans male” to navigate this space. The author has however eloquently managed to pilot this fine line of controversy. He offers a balanced view of the belligerent debate without treading insensitively on the toes of protagonists and at the same time challenges prevailing views. - André Rose, National Cancer Institute