The world view of Khaketla’s novel Mosadi a nkhola

Abstract

Khaketla emphasises the essential and inner qualities of the medium of his novel Mosadi a nkhola (‘The wife brought calamity upon me’) as based on his convictions of the supremacy of art over all other means of expression or knowledge. The novel is about Chief Lekaota who realised that there was an imminent clash in outlook between traditional chieftaincy and Western ways. He sends his son, Mosito, to school to ensure enlightened leadership for his people after his own death. After his death, his matriculated son takes over and he is advised by his former schoolmates, Pokane and Khosi. Khati, Sebotsa and Maime claim to be Chief Lekaota’s former advisors. Mosito is married to the unenlightened and superstitious Sebolelo, whom he chose for his wife, against his friends’ advice. The main concern of the researcher in this article is to explore the possible reasons for Mosito’s downfall.

South African Journal of African Languages 2012, 32(1): 71–78