I Did Not Die

Tebello Mzamo’s debut novel tells the story of Botho Pere, a mine worker in South Africa, and the family he has left behind in Lesotho. The novel begins with an introduction to Botho’s wife, Nthatisi, a strong-willed and independent Sotho woman who has had to adapt to her husband’s three-year absence. The return of Botho to Lesotho initiates a series of events which upend the lives of the Peres and lead them down a path riddled with secrets, betrayals and a hint of witchcraft. Spanning across time and shifting between the perspectives of the family members, I Did Not Die reveals the harsh realities of what it means to be a migrant worker.