Memoir/Biography – Cheeky Natives

Vanessa Govender: Beaten but not Broken

September 19, 2019September 19, 2019 cheekynativesLeave a Comment

“This is my story. This happened to me. Who he is, is irrelevant. He could be the boy next door, a street sweeper or your son – he could be anyone. I refuse to make this story about him or who he is. He is no different from any abusive man. His name is irrelevant. […]

Desiree-Anne Martin: We Don’t Talk About it Ever

August 30, 2019August 30, 2019 cheekynativesLeave a Comment

‘But I am done with deceit. Lies no longer hold any allure for me. Now I seek true words that will, somehow, begin to heal that which has broken.’ – Desiree – Anne Martin (@believe_deeply). ‘We Don’t Talk About It. Ever’ is Desiree-Anne Martin’s powerful, harrowing, and poignant portrayal of her journey from an addict […]

Sisonke Msimang: The Resurrection of Winnie Mandela

August 12, 2019August 12, 2019 cheekynatives1 Comment

‘With razor-sharp insight, Msimang writes in a reflective tone that contains both heartbreak and humour, as she navigates some often-overlooked complexities surrounding race, womanhood and class.’ – Cher Tan, Books and Publishing Just some of the words that come to mind when thinking of Sisonke Msimang’s second book ‘The Resurrection of Winnie Mandela’ Written in […]

Landa Mabenge: Becoming Him: a Trans Memoir of Triumph

July 22, 2019July 22, 2019 cheekynatives1 Comment

‘But humility is a work of progress and there are times when I need to work on practising tolerance. Whenever individuals question my ‘genitals’ I am reminded of how blinkered and obsessed with labels we humans are. Whatever lies between my legs, whether I sit or stand when I pee, my genitals are what they […]

Rekgotsofetse Chikane: Breaking a Rainbow, Building a Nation

June 28, 2019July 9, 2019 cheekynativesLeave a Comment

“Whiteness seeks to remove us from its embrace because we threaten it. We place its position at the centre at risk when we dare to usurp it rather than simply remain constant in relation to it. Exerting my identity undermines the identity of whiteness. Yet exerting my identity calls into question my commitment to follow […]

Sihle Bolani: We Are The Ones We Need

June 1, 2019June 21, 2019 cheekynatives1 Comment

“But I’ve had time now to really think about the issue of racism, abuse, and discrimination against black professionals in the workplace, as a system, because that’s exactly what it is. A system. Designed to maintain the status quo, this system ensures that power imbalance remains unchanged.” – Sihle Bolani Sihle Bolani invited us into […]