JM Coetzee • Fred Khumalo • Abdelaziz Baraka Sakin • Lebohang Mojapelo • Khadija Tracey Heeger • Khanya Mtshali • Lidudumalingani • Isabella Morris • Wamuwi Mbao • Victor Dlamini

Welcome to the second issue of Volume 4 of The Johannesburg Review of Books.

In this edition of The JRB, Wamuwi Mbao reviews Jennifer Nansubuga Makumbi‘s short story collection, Manchester Happened, and Khanya Mtshali reviews Phumlani Pikoli‘s debut novel, Born Freeloaders.

Lebohang Mojapelo converses with Sudanese author Abdelaziz Baraka Sakin about writing and exile; and guest City Editor Lidudumalingani reflects on the work of the late Santu Mofokeng.

We bring you an exclusive excerpt from JM Coetzee’s latest novel, The Death of Jesus, as well as a short story from Fool’s Gold: Selected Modjaji Short Stories, which completes the publisher’s baker’s dozen of short fiction collections.

We’re pleased to publish a new short story by Fred Khumalo, ‘Mr Big Shot’—which involves a number of mentions of the Men’s Clinic.

Khadija Tracey Heeger presents a new poem, and our Photo Editor Victor Dlamini offers portraits of Zapiro and Lauren Beukes.

Here’s the complete breakdown of Vol. 4, Issue 2, which you will also find on our issue archive page:

Reviews

• A powerful contribution towards the creation of a vitally needed counter-narrative of England—Wamuwi Mbao reviews Manchester Happened by Jennifer Nansubuga Makumbi
• Contemplating South Africa’s coalition of traumas through the idea of lost language—Khanya Mtshali reviews Phumlani Pikoli’s Born Freeloaders

Interview

• ‘I experience a new type of fear every time I write’—Lebohang Mojapelo interviews exiled Sudanese author Abdelaziz Baraka Sakin

City Editor—Essay

• Conjuring his images out of darkness—Lidudumalingani reflects on how the late Santu Mofokeng’s photographs are a kind of visual metaphor for Johannesburg

Short Stories

• New short fiction: ‘Mr Big Stuff’ by Fred Khumalo
• ‘You look fancy for a girl who’s just going to the TAB.’ Read ‘The Outsider’ by Isabella Morris, excerpted from Fool’s Gold: Selected Modjaji Short Stories

Excerpt

• [The JRB Exclusive] ‘This is not a game of football, it is a slaughter of the innocents!’—Read an excerpt from JM Coetzee’s new novel The Death of Jesus

Poetry

• ‘I come from’, a new poem by Khadija Tracey Heeger

Photography

• Original portraits of Lauren Beukes and Zapiro by Victor Dlamini

The JRB Daily

• The AKO Caine Prize announces 2020 judging panel—and major new sponsorship deal

Header image: Jennifer Malec