The Cheeky Natives

Dr Kopano Matlwa: Bosadi

Send us Fan Mail [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2318312/fan_mail/new] Most women endure silence and sacrifice because of societal expectations — but what if that silence is a form of violence?  Dr. Kopano Matlwa, acclaimed author and public health physician, unpacks the hidden costs of womanhood, the trauma of Gender Based Violence, and the myth of the perfect family in her powerful novel Bosadi. This conversation challenges us to confront uncomfortable truths and rethink the narratives we’ve inherited about gender, resilience, and survival. You’ll discover how Bosadi explores the architecture of sacrifice and the emotional toll of living in a society that normalises misogyny and violence. Dr. Matlwa shares her insights on the complex relationships between mothers and daughters, the silent wounds of migrant domestic workers, and the dangerous ways community complicity enables abuse.  We break down the importance of naming, the symbolism behind her titles, and her deliberate choice to speak uncomfortable truths through storytelling. We delve into the themes of faith and endurance that often silence women, revealing how religious and cultural pressures can act as tools of gaslighting and control.  Perfect for readers, activists, and anyone committed to ending Gender Based Violence, Bosadi is a mirror held up to society—demanding reflection and action. If you're ready to challenge the status quo and empower women’s voices, this episode will inspire you to start conversations that matter. Support the show [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2318312/support] follow us on social media @cheekynatives

Nadia Davids: Cape Fever

Send us Fan Mail [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2318312/fan_mail/new] We sat down with Nadia Davis, author of Cape Fever, to honour the quiet strength and resilience that hidden stories bring to our lives.  In a beautifully tender conversation, we explored themes of silent resistance, personal empowerment, and the power of internal archives.  We explored narratives that challenge conventional tales of survival and authentic connection.  Nadia reflected on her journey—from a storyteller navigating silencing systems to an author embracing her agency and unique voice.  Much of the conversation was an excavation of hidden knowledge, unspoken histories, and the ongoing process of reclaiming agency.  We discussed why personal narratives remain incomplete without meaningful introspection and genuine growth.  This powerful episode, is an invitation to you, our listener, to reconsider what personal empowerment means in a world marked by silence, erasure, and resilience.  Join us as we invoke the journey into stories of hidden strength and the ways we reclaim our narratives in 2026. Because sometimes, the most powerful stories are those where people choose their agency—and each other—on their own terms. Support the show [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2318312/support] follow us on social media @cheekynatives

Siphokazi Jonas: Weeping Becomes a River

Send us Fan Mail [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2318312/fan_mail/new] We sat down with Siphokazi Jonas, author of  "Weeping Becomes a River," [https://www.penguinrandomhouse.co.za/book/weeping-becomes-river/9781776392087] to honour the wisdom and relatability that poetry brings to our lives. Together, we explored themes of cultural reclamation, personal transformation, and linguistic identity. Our conversation journeyed through narratives that challenge traditional tales of resilience and genuine connection. Siphokazi reflected on her evolution—from a poet navigating discordant worlds to a storyteller embracing her heritage and authentic voice. We delved deeper into themes of grief, unspoken histories, and the ongoing process of redefining belonging. We discussed why cultural narratives remain incomplete without meaningful dialogue and real growth. In this episode, we invite you, our listener, to reconsider what cultural healing means in a world marked by chaos, disillusionment, and disenchantment. Join us as we explore stories of identity and the ways we make meaning in 2026. Because sometimes, the most powerful stories are those where people choose their heritage—and each other—on their own terms. Support the show [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2318312/support] follow us on social media @cheekynatives

Zibu Sithole: Love, Zola

Send us Fan Mail [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2318312/fan_mail/new] In the final installation of the acclaimed trilogy, Zibu Sithole, the acclaimed author of the beloved Zola series, reveals why she’s choosing to tell stories of gentle, soft Black love. We journeyed with characters who challenged the traditional narratives of suffering and resilience by prioritising self-love and genuine connection. In a heartfelt conversation, Zibu reflects on Zola’s incredible evolution from a self-centred dreamer to a woman embracing her independence and true happiness. We  explored the themes of forgiveness, unspoken hurts, and redefining happiness, examining why love isn’t enough without effective communication and real growth. In an all -encompassing conversation, Zibu shared her insights on why fiction is such a powerful vessel for social change, especially when addressing complex relationships: fathers and sons navigating absence, women reclaiming their narratives, and generational shifts in codes of commitment.  This episode is an invitation for you as a reader to redefine what a happy ending means in a world full of chaos, disillusionment and disenchantment. Join us as we explore how stories about love can, and should, look different in 2026. Because sometimes, the most powerful love stories are the ones where people choose themselves, and each other, on their own terms. Support the show [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2318312/support] follow us on social media @cheekynatives

Frank Thabani Sayi: No Safer Kinder Hatred: How Racial Hatred and Ethnic Violence Shaped Zimbabwe

Send us Fan Mail [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2318312/fan_mail/new] Frank Sayi grew up in Rhodesia, now Zimbabwe, in the 1970s. His childhood straddled two very significant periods in his country's history, both of which heavily influenced his memoir. The first was the war of liberation (1975-1979), closely followed by the post-independence internecine war (1981-1987). Frank and his two older sisters, Thoko and Gift, lived with their grandmother, a stern, wise, mercurial matriarch, capable of intimidating severity, and her son Uncle Sami while Frank's mother, the main breadwinner, lived in the city.  Through the connection of the narratives of these two major wars, Frank offers a comprehensive view of a turbulent history with the ongoing consequences of his country’s political violence. Gukurahundi and it’s unacknowledged history is explored, reflecting on what it means to be a people who’s pain has been ignored and erased. The memoir is intricately woven around the lives of the members of Frank's immediate family, whom he uses to foreground the tragic lives of a people caught within the web of war. He walks us through the disconnection between memory and reality especially in the aftermath of war, displacement and personal loss. Grief permeates throughout the book, anticipatory and rituals around it as we witness the emotional toll of expecting loss prior to its occurrence.  Written at the intersection of love and abuse, Frank’s memoir explores how these dynamic shape relationships and identities. Frank writes tenderly about the struggle to find belonging in fractured families and communities In this episode we engage in a profound conversation with Frank Sayi. The discussion delves into the complexities of identity, home, and the lingering effects of colonialism in Zimbabwe and South Africa. Frank shares his personal experiences of displacement and the struggle to reconcile his past with his present, emphasising the theme of returning home to a place that feels both familiar and alien. He articulates the idea that the language of violence and colonialism has shaped the narratives surrounding black identity, complicating the relationship between self and memory. Support the show [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2318312/support] follow us on social media @cheekynatives