Inside Simphiwe Xako’s gripping debut novel

Simphiwe Xako’s debut novel, Hosh Nongoloza—Kill or Be Killed, plunges readers into the brutal world of Pollsmoor Prison.

Nov 12, 2024 - 03:00

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Inside Simphiwe Xako’s gripping debut novel

Former journalist and Correctional Services spokesperson Simphiwe Xako has released his debut novel, Hosh Nongoloza—Kill or Be Killed. The book sheds light on the dark realities of Pollsmoor Prison in Cape Town.

Xako’s novel dives into gang life and the pervasive corruption within South Africa’s prisons. Inspired by his first-hand experiences, Xako brings readers into an unforgiving world where survival means navigating power, gang codes, and violence, as reported in IOL.

Hosh Nongoloza

Xako, previously a spokesperson for South Africa’s Department of Correctional Services, brings extensive insight into prison life. He worked alongside government officials, visiting facilities like Pollsmoor, Durban Westville, and Leeuwkop, where he witnessed the harsh realities of life behind bars.

In Hosh Nongoloza, he portrays the journey of Themba Magubane, a promising law student thrust into the brutal world of Pollsmoor after a wrongful arrest. Through vivid storytelling, Xako explores both the justice system’s failings and the resilience of those trapped within it.

The Setting of Pollsmoor Prison

Xako’s book is set in Pollsmoor Prison, notorious for its violent gangs and overcrowded conditions. Known to South Africans as one of the country’s most infamous prisons, Pollsmoor is a setting rife with hierarchy, rules and alliances that shape prisoners’ survival.

Through Themba’s character, readers witness prison life: crowded cells, gang dominance, and the struggle to retain humanity in dehumanizing conditions. Xako also introduces readers to prison lingo, such as “Hosh Nongoloza,” the ominous phrase that echoes through prison corridors.

Inside Xako’s Prison World

Through harrowing scenes, Xako describes how prisoners spend nearly all hours in their cells, with brief, tense breaks in outdoor courtyards where gang interactions thrive. In one excerpt, he captures the suffocating atmosphere:

“Prison sections…choking darkness, spend all but an hour outside their cages…Outdoor courtyards become arenas of punishment.” The narrative pulls readers into Themba’s experience, where the grim corridors and ever-present gang influences make survival itself an achievement.

Author’s Motivation and Reflections

For Xako, the novel is both a personal and a social critique. His career with the Department of Correctional Services exposed him to the injustices of the prison system.

“The essence of Hosh Nongoloza is a cry on behalf of boys and girls, who risk being arrested and rot in jail,” he says. Xako aims to amplify voices from South Africa’s prisons and offer an unfiltered look at how prison transforms individuals, often through violence and survival instincts.