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Africa: The Untold Story

The book ‘Africa: The Untold Story’ through the eyes of Zubeida Jaffer – By Qaanitah Hunter

I met Zubeida Jaffer at the ANC’s elective conference in Mangaung last year and I was intrigued by her personality and journalistic abilities.
At that point I only knew that she was an author and she was in the process of reshaping the University of Free State journalism school.
However it was only yesterday when she was invited to address a journalism training program, of which I am part of, did I realize what a great treasure of knowledge and wisdom she is.
She spoke about her entrance into journalism (long before I was even born) and some of the intrguing if not dangerous encounters she experienced as a journalist.

Nonetheless before she left she gave each of us a copy of her latest book, Africa- The Untold Story.
It is a pocket size self published account of her visit to Rwanda 18 years after her previous visit in the midst of the 1994 genocide.

Zubeida compares what she saw in 2012 to what she did in 1994 when dead bodies were strewn across streets and the blood of civilians was spilled.

She describes the developments that were made on governmental level in Rwanda as well as on a societal level.
The genocide that left close to a million people dead has been put behind the people of Rwanda and the society is a healing process.

Being an anti-apartheid activist, Zubeida also drew a contrast to the situation in South Africa.

Africa- The Untold Story is a mixture of the authors personal account, history and analysis.

She writes with great pride of Africa and expresses hope for the beautiful continent.

After reading this book I am eager to read her previous, lengthier compilations.

It is a short read, but at the end it created within me hope for the future of Africa.

For more information on Africa- The Untold Story, other publications by the author as well as some of her articles visit: http://www.zubeidajaffer.co.za

Written By Qaanitah Hunter

MRN