Black Diamond - mda zakes

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Résumé :
Kristin Uys, a tough magistrate who lives alone with her cat in the Roodepoort district of Johannesburg, is on a one-woman crusade: wipe out prostitution in the town. Her reasons are personal, her zeal fierce. Although she is unable to convict the Visagie Brothers, Stevo and Shortie, on charges of running a brothel, she manages to nail Stevo for contempt of court and gives him a summary six-month sentence. From Diepkloof Prison, the outraged Stevo orchestrates his revenge against the magistrate, aided and abetted by his rather inept brother Shortie and his erstwhile nanny, Aunt Magda, who believes mass action will force the powers that be to release Stevo. Kristin receives menacing phone calls and her home is invaded and vandalized even her cat is not spared threats. The chief magistrate insists on assigning a bodyguard to protect her. To Kristin s consternation, security guard Don Mateza moves into her home and trails her everywhere. Nor does this suit Don s long-time girlfriend Tumi, former model and successful businesswoman, who is intent on turning Don into a Black Diamond the wealthy new black South African middle class. And Don soon finds that his new assignment has unexpected complications which Tumi simply does not understand. In Black Diamond, Zakes Mda tackles every conceivable South African stereotype, skilfully turning them upside down and exposing their ironies, often hilariously. A clever, quirky novel, it captures the essence of contemporary life in a fast-changing urban world.