Ellie Vilakazi

Article Abstract: My contention is that literary journalism welds large, complex world phenomena that are not always readily understandable to people — war, large-scale migration, climate change and others — with the reader through the narrator’s subjective experience. To evaluate this argument, I utilize In Khwezi: The Remarkable Story of Fezekile Ntsukela Kuzwayo. Redi Tlhabi narrates the life of Fezekile both before and after she brought charges against the former president of South Africa, Jacob Zuma. I argue that this work of literary journalism has the ability to reconstruct the problematic narratives that surrounded Fezekile during the time of the trial. Kwezi is written with the intention of giving the reader information within one body of work of South African politics and endeavors, not only to explain what is happening, but helps the reader understand why something is happening. Reporting in conjunction with storytelling — which is extremely important to the understanding of what is being reported — not only leaves the reader better informed but more civically and globally engaged. I chose this book because it successfully demonstrates the capacity of literary journalism to give readers a nuanced insight into South African politics, and Jacob Zuma’s presidency.