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Paris,1958. An Algerian waiter at the famous restaurant La Tour d'Argent is convicted of the murder of two customers. As he is awaiting trial, his long-time friend Jerry Moloto helps an opportunistic and ambitious journalist build a case to defend him.
Through Jerry's testimony the reader discovers that the waiter is actually Pitso Motaung, a mixed race South African drafted to fight in the First World War. He is also one of the few remaining survivors of the SS Mendi tragedy, which saw the formidable warship sink off the coast of the Isle of Wight, killing 646 people, including many black South African soldiers. So how did a brave soldier become a criminal and will Pitso's name be cleared before it is too late?
Commemorating the 100th year anniversary of the sinking of the SS Mendi, Dancing the Death Drill is a timely novel about life and the many challenges it throws our way.
About the author
Fred Khumalo is an award-winning writer of fiction and non-fiction from Durban, South Africa. Khumalo's work has appeared in various publications, including the Sunday Times, the Toronto Star, New African magazine, the Sowetan and Isolezwe. His books include #Zuptasmustfall
and Other Rants (2016), Bitches Brew (winner of the European Union Literary Award 2005), Seven Steps to Heaven and Touch My Blood,
(2005), which was shortlisted for the Alan Paton Prize for Non-fiction
and has been adapted for the stage.
Khumalo completed an MA in creative writing at the University of the Witwatersrand and is the recipient of a Nieman Fellowship from Harvard University. In addition to his writing, he has won awards for his journalistic work and is currently a judge for the Dinaane Debut Fiction Award.
Summary
Paris, 1958. An Algerian waiter is convicted of the murder of two customers. As he is awaiting trial, his long-time friend helps an opportunistic and ambitious journalist build a case to defend him. This is a timely novel commemorating the 100th year anniversary of the sinking of the SS Mendi.
