Message

The novel Mother to Mother by Sindiwe Magona offers context for the violent murder of a young woman, in order to show that while the actions of the murder cannot be excused, they are the product of generations of enduring oppression and violence. Therefore, the novel is also a social commentary on the injustices of the apartheid regime in South Africa. 

The novel presents the effects of apartheid on the black population of South Africa in varied ways. For example, there are several instances of police brutality against black people throughout the novel, such as the murder of two teenage boys (p. 148). Through this, the novel shows that the systemic racism that is an intrinsic part of the apartheid regime is a constant threat to black people’s safety in So...