In what will surely become a classic of South African non-fiction, Led by Shepherds begins with twelve-year-old Jeffrey Rakabe leaving his village to attend a secretive circumcision ceremony, believing it to be the key to manhood. But the weeks-long rite of passage in the mountains is a far cry from the masculine adventure he'd imagined. Years later, as a student in Pretoria, Rakabe becomes enamoured with books and thrives within the hush of the Johannesburg Public Library. The presence of caringwomen in his life, from his concerned mother and supportive partner to a librarian who feeds his intellectual curiosity with a steady supply of edifying material, spur Rakabe to investigate the possible links between the goma ritual, awash with misogynistic language, and gender-based violence in SA. Led by Shepherds asks urgent, incisive questions of us as a society: What does it mean to be a man? How can we remake rather than abandon cultural practices that perpetuate harmful norms? And howdo we realise a safer South Africa for its women and children? Part memoir, part manifesto, Led by Shepherds is a timely and controversial text and Jeffrey Rakabe a brave, essential voice for a new generation.
